Magic mushrooms (aka shrooms) are psychedelics that have played a large role in some parts of society ever since their use spread during the 1960s and 1970s. They were a big part of the Hippy Culture and have stayed in the mind’s eye of the general populace for their psychedelic and therapeutic effects. 

Shrooms are potent and can be hazardous to your health if used improperly. This is also why many countries have made them illegal. 

The main consumers are the youth and they have been using ‘Shrooms’ for a number of reasons, including spiritual, mental, and physically uplifting effects. 

There are over 200 varying kinds of magic mushrooms, which means that there are different potencies, flavors, and effects. There are also differences between what can be deemed as ‘friendly’ and ‘bad’ mushroom strains. 

In fact, some are very poisonous as the chemicals they consist of are very dangerous. As you can imagine, the most visceral and dangerous kinds are the ones that are bright red, with white spots. They cause euphoria, followed by nausea, dizziness and vomiting. 

However, there are many magic mushroom strains that are not harmful. These are the ones that provide the psychedelic sensations commonly associated with shrooms. 

The most common chemical in most shrooms is psilocybin. This is what causes the main effects typically thought of when dealing with shrooms. 

Let’s explore the different kinds of magic mushrooms, their effects, their uses and dosing.

What are Magic Mushrooms?

Shrooms, as they are commonly referred to, are psychedelics which contain the drug psilocybin. Most people will grind them up and eat them, either in food or a drink. 

Magic mushroom effects are known to be more intense when ingested. The psilocybin metabolizes slower and will stay in your system for a lot longer than any other method of consumption.

Magic mushrooms can cause a lot of different effects. Most commonly, the person who has consumed shrooms will have a strong hallucinogenic experience, almost dream-like. They will see things that aren’t there and have rapid swings in mood, ranging from negative and positive feelings. 

This is due to the psilocybin which sends the individual into a series of emotional and mental phases. It can feel mysterious, strange, other-worldly, and can heighten nonchalant experiences to exciting and anxious events. 

Contrary to what you might have been told, the psilocybin in shrooms isn’t as potent as some other drugs are. Magic mushrooms, for all intents and purposes, have a good safety record. They have a low toxicity level, which means there has never been a record of any human being receiving organ damage or failure due to the neurological experiences brought about by shrooms consumption. 

The Interesting History of Shrooms

Magic mushrooms are a natural substance. They are simply fungi found in the wild, and thus, modern humans are not the first to ever use them. 

The history of shrooms usage goes back to 9000 BC. The most evidence we have found of shrooms being smoked, eaten or drunk, are in cultures from the Northern parts of the African continent, as well as Central America. The incredible cultures of the Aztecs and Mayans have produced remnants of magic mushrooms found in temples. This shows magic mushrooms could have potentially played a role in their events, festivals, leisure and religions. 

In the ancient Aztecs, shrooms were called ‘Teonanacatl’, which translates into ‘the flesh of the gods. Modern nicknames for psilocybin are called ‘peyote’ and sometimes, morning glory seeds. 

It’s well-known that magic mushrooms leave the individual in a trance-like state, feeling light, uplifted and in a generous mood. 

This is also why shrooms have played such a huge role in religion. It’s common to read about some Catholic priests in the depths of the 16th century, using shrooms and feeling enlightened or closer to their god.

But let’s learn about the modern history of magic mushrooms. The US has been the most prolific nation to experiment with shrooms. Also, it has the highest population of users in the world. 

A man called Albert Hoffman was the figure behind an experiment that produced LSD when he isolated psilocybin from a mushroom.  The shroom and LSD Canada community has learned a lot since then.

In the modern-day, people are starting to accept shrooms more readily. Since the legalization of marijuana in many countries, there has been a generally relaxed approach to shrooms as well. The history of its usage shows that although it may have potent effects, it’s not life-threatening. 

However, consumer culture will push for microdosing of psilocybin so the majority of products will be moderate in strength. Dried mushrooms will be the way that the product is delivered, so it’s able to be used in multiple ways. 

The low dosage won’t take you on what’s called a ‘trip’, but it will give you some benefits such as mood enhancements, more creativity and perhaps even fight off your anxiety levels. 

Since the 1970s, psilocybin has actually been banned. It’s only usage was in medical research projects and various experiments. 

However, just in 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permitted the analysis of magic mushrooms as an ingredient to be used in potential treatments for depression. This research is underway and that brings new hope for advocates of shrooms. 

For those that want to use shrooms in a medicinal capacity, they may find success if they were to explore their options online.

Why Shrooms are relevant to Canada

Canada has been one of the countries at the forefront of the legalization of weed. This has perhaps laid the foundation for the nation’s flirtation with shrooms in recent years. 

However, we must tell you that shrooms are not a cute cuddly substance. It is potent and can bring about deeply negative experiences if you’re not careful. Thus you should only find shrooms that are edible and safe to consume for human beings. 

Wild shrooms are not to be taken lightly, as they have the potential to cause you serious harm.

In 1957 British Columbia, shrooms were already causing a stir. Psilocybin was still selling in 1974, and it was added to the food and drug act, which made the possession of shrooms illegal in Ontario, which led to the first convictions of the year. This spread to Alberta and then, across the country.

In rent years, the social and legal issues around mushrooms seem to have been relaxing. However, one reason why this could be is that Psilocybin has been replaced by Psilocybe. This has made the ‘high’ that shrooms give, less potent and some products have taken out the high altogether. 

This has made it more tolerable for general society and individuals that may have been reluctant to use it. Hence, the restrictions that once held the sale and distribution of magic mushrooms are no longer all there. Currently, you can buy mushroom growing kits, with spores as well. However, be warned, the law won’t be on your side when mycelium in the shrooms begins to form.

Growing magic mushrooms at home

So, you might be wondering how one could possibly grow shrooms in their own home? Any growing kit that you buy, will have spores. You grow it any other way a mushroom would need to be looked after. 

It likes damp, humid places and thus, you could grow them in a greenhouse in your garden. The spore will not be potent with psilocybin which is when the mycelium begins to show. This is the start of illegal territory as the shrooms become too potent for possession or distribution. It can develop the plant and is the food reserve of the mushroom.

Can you buy shrooms in Canada?

Yes, you can. For example, you can buy shrooms online from dispensaries in Vancouver. Citizens were concerned about the sale of psychedelic drugs, but the city’s officials rejected these concerns. This actually went against the law and the status of the drug. 

In 2019, shrooms dispensaries started to open up around the country. It’s possible to buy shrooms in Ontario, British Columbia, Oakland, Toronto and many more. 

It’s not illegal to be in possession of the drug if it doesn’t contain mycelium. You can have shrooms with the Psilocybin compound, which makes you feel excited, enthusiastic and trance-like. It is now possible to buy shrooms for medicinal reasons, online in Canada.

Okay, so what is Psilocybin?

Psilocybin is the psychedelic substance in the shrooms that has been seen as the key ingredient. It’s the magic in magic mushrooms. 

It can awaken an individual’s spirituality, creativity and self awareness.  In addition, it can be used in religious events and ceremonies in cultures around the world. 

Psilocybin is natural, and not made or designed in a lab. However, you need to get mushrooms from a certain area in the world to have good levels of Psilocybin. This mostly lists them as nations in South America. 

These mushrooms will be light in color, have white stems, long shape and a dark ridge grill design on the lower side of the caps. The caps are usually dark brown and have a series of brown tinges on the center of the cap. Usually, these can taste bitter on their own but if you soak them in water and dry them out, this could limit the negative taste. 

Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic, which is why the Drug Enforcement Administration, classifies it as a Schedule I substance. It’s illegal in the USA, even though politicians, mainly on the left of the spectrum, are ignoring what the law says as aforementioned. The DEA says that Psilocybin is mostly consumed in shrooms by the youth, who want to go to clubs to party and hang out in campus dorm rooms. 

The various kinds of Psilocybin mushrooms should be studied before using, as we can’t really figure out the potency of each, by any agreed upon and accurate method.

What to expect while you’re on a trip

It could take just 20 minutes after ingestion of magic mushrooms to start feeling the effects. Depending on the variant and the size, as well as the unique potency of the shroom you ingest, the experience could last between four to six hours. 

The Psilocybin immediately begins to work on the frontal cortex of your brain. This is where the mood and perceptions of our mind are controlled. 

The serotonin levels are affected and you begin to feel pleasure or some sort. It can cause feelings of being in a trance, disconnected with the world and even begin hearing sounds and seeing things that aren’t real. You can find that the colors of the room start to become more vivid or duller. 

Everyone will have different experiences. Some people will have feelings of being detached from reality and who they are. More vividly, some people will experience an out-of-body experience. 

The impact on serotonin may cause feelings of detachment, hearing sounds and seeing colours within your surroundings. You may be one of those consumers who liken the trip to an out of the body experience. For those not knowing or prepared for what to expect, this can become alarming and panic-inducing. Just remember to stay calm and remember it is only temporary.

The different types

of Magic Mushroom

Let’s now take a look at the various kinds of shrooms. The most popular types will be mentioned and their attributes delved into. Again, we are not recommending any of these magic mushrooms, this is purely for your education. 

The active ingredients in shrooms are psilocin, psilocybin, and baeocystin. The potency levels will vary and one should find out if you are fit for consuming these particular shrooms.

A great way to find out what the potency level is is to see if there are bruises on the blush color of the spores. If you see a brown or purple mark or perhaps a rusty mark on the cap, this could be an indication that it is particularly present. If the bruise is blackish, then you have a very potent shroom. The darker the color, the higher the level of psilocin.

Psilocybe Cubensis (Golden Caps)

Psilocybe cubensis (aka p cubensis) is by far the most popular mushroom because you can find it anywhere in any online mushroom dispensary. In fact, the majority of shroom strains are a part of the psilocybe cubensis family. 

It can survive all the seasons and it can grow on various things, even cattle waste. It’s also been known to grow on elephant and horse dung. If you have manure in your garden, you can grow these mushrooms quite happily. 

The bell shape is quite noticeable, as it turns into a convex shape as it grows. Even when they’re young, you can find them to be reddish or brownish. As they age, they will take on a more golden or white color. 

Psilocybe Tampanensis

This shroom strain grows in wild and wide spaces, and has a convex shaped cap. Psilocybe tampanensis mushrooms are pale when it’s fully formed and can also have brown and yellowish spores as it ages.

Psilocybe Caerulescens

(Derrumbes, Landslide Mushrooms)

This is a rarer magic mushroom, only growing in lower temperatures than most others and at high altitude. The main habitat that psilocybe caerulescens mushrooms love to grow in is landslides. These shrooms have a metallic color and feel, and it’s very easy to spot because of its appearance. 

If you want to get into shrooms, this is a good place to start. It has a low level of potency and can be very pliable. It can be ground up, put into food or eaten for dessert.

Psilocybe Bohemica (Bohemian Psilocybe)

This is a rarer magic mushroom, only growing in lower temperatures than most others and at high altitude. The main habitat that psilocybe caerulescens mushrooms love to grow in is landslides. These shrooms have a metallic color and feel, and it’s very easy to spot because of its appearance. 

If you want to get into shrooms, this is a good place to start. It has a low level of potency and can be very pliable. It can be ground up, put into food or eaten for dessert.

Psilocybe Azurescens

This strain is perhaps the shroom with the most potency. You can find them in woodlands and sandy soils. 

Psilocybe azurescens mushrooms have a brown and maybe caramel appearance that has a thin skin and a cap that sometimes falls off naturally. When bruised it is very dark blue and almost completely black. The spores are purple to brown and can sometimes be black. As we mentioned, the darker the shroom, the more powerful it is.

Can You Do Shrooms Safely?

The main question on your lips is, “are shrooms safe?” The bottom line is yes, generally speaking, shrooms will only have minimal side effects. However, it can be emotionally stressful the first time you do shrooms, as negative experiences can make you feel out of control and out of touch with reality. However, if you know what to expect this shouldn’t be too big of a problem.

Magic mushrooms can make you feel happy, joyful and even more friendly to the challenges you face. Shrooms are safe if you use them in moderation, especially in recreation use. They can be uplifting and help you to relax. 

However, the psychedelic effects take four to six hours to wear off. If you take shrooms and then have to do something else that requires competency in some way, then you are out of luck. Trying to do things like driving or cycling while having an episode on shrooms, could endanger your or someone else’s life. 

In addition, you should be careful not to mix shrooms with other substances. For instance, don’t drink alcohol with shrooms as this can lead to the potency levels being exacerbated and the experience lasting much longer. You may also become impaired in your judgment and make silly decisions. This is why you should not drink or take any other substances while doing shrooms.

The only substance that should be mixed with shrooms is cannabis. It is common to use the two together for a number of reasons. Also, weed and shrooms are relatively safe to use together. 

How Do Shrooms Compare to Other Substances?

Maybe you’re also wondering how potent shrooms are compared to other substances? Well, you’re in the right place if you want some education on this subject. Bear in mind that we do not recommend that you try to mix any of these and/or take them at the same time.

Shrooms vs LSD

SHROOMS

• Everyone knows that LSD is potent and perhaps one of the most visceral psychedelics ever. It’s called ‘acid’ for a reason, as the funky and bright colors you begin to see are very vivid. 
• The trip you get on LSD is not only more potent, but it can last for 8 to 12 hours. 
• However, you have absolutely no potential of becoming an addict as it’s not made of addictive substances. 
• However, it is illegal and carries with it some considerable punishments. 

LSD

• Shrooms, on the other hand, are tolerable for most people. It can have bad effects like having low self-esteem and becoming more of a loner. 
• Shrooms are also known to make it obvious that you’re on something because your behavior becomes more lucid. 
• LSD gives you a lot of energy and some have said creativity, while shrooms can do the same but to a lesser extent.

Shrooms vs Weeds

Everyone wants to know, how do shrooms compare with their noble adversary, weed? Well, again, you’ve come to the right place.

SHROOMS

• • Marijuana makes you chilled out, feeling comfortable and lazy.
  • Cannabis has been known to make even the most unfunny thing, funny and amusing.
  • Weed is known to make you very hungry and you can empty your fridge on a weed bender, quite easily.
  • Cottonmouth is something that can occur with weed, as it dries out your mouth and throat.
  • Although marijuana itself isn’t addictive, if you buy certain strains of weed that have been mixed with PCP or other things like embalming fluid, this can make weed cigarettes more potent and addictive.

WEEDS

• Magic mushrooms, on the other hand, make you feel chilled out but also, happy. 
• Shrooms are natural just like weed, but they have a more euphoric and psychedelic experience.
• Magic mushrooms can be mixed with other things but it’s not recommended. The fungi are already complex enough for your liver to break down, so adding things would put too much pressure on your body.
• Shrooms aren’t known to dry or salivate your mouth more or less.

Physical Effects of Shrooms

Every substance you take has side effects and shrooms are no different. In most cases, you will feel the same things such as, hallucinations, numbness, euphoria, excitement, creativity and distortion of sounds, images and perceptions. 

But can anyone tell that you’re on something? What are the physical signs that you have taken magic mushrooms?

• Sometimes you can have panic attacks when taking magic mushrooms. For those that have never taken shrooms, the first experience can be daunting and sometimes, downright unnerving. 
• People have said they couldn’t make out shapes and sizes, i.e. they were having trouble with their eyesight and the images that are being processed by their brain.
• Sounds become distorted and you can have trouble making out words and noises.
• The long-term effects of shrooms can potentially lead to depression. Many people don’t like the trips they have after a while and this can lead to suicidal tendencies or thoughts. 

Some potential negative physical effects are as follows:

• -numbness throughout the body
• -potentially, a dry mouth
• -poor cognitive abilities
• -psychosis
• -potentially, a dry mouth

How Long Does it Take for Shrooms to Activate?

Generally speaking, it can take as little as 20 minutes for shrooms to kick in. However, if you haven’t eaten anything, this can be cut down in half. If you have drunk a lot of water, ate nothing, this can lead to the time being even quicker. 

In addition, psilocybin mushrooms will last in your system for about 6 hours at the most.

How Long Do Magic Mushrooms Last?

Well, it depends. We say 6 hours is the norm, but it also depends on you. The heavier you are, the longer shrooms stay in your system. If you have a higher tolerance, you may end up taking a larger dosage, which can increase the time too. 

It also depends on your metabolic rate. If you have a slow metabolism, it will take longer. If you have digestion problems, it could be shorter or longer, you never know.

How Could You Take Shrooms?

There are lots of ways to ingest shrooms, but there’s no real secret as to what is best for you. Shrooms can be bitter on their own and they will have a funky taste. They are a fungus after all.

Below are some different ways you can take magic mushrooms.

Dried Shrooms

Dried shrooms are perhaps the most popular way of eating them. They can be eaten dry, chewing on them and swallowing like a normal piece of food. Or you can dry the shrooms, and grind them into power, to use as a sprinkle seasoning. Dried shrooms are also able to be put into most soup dishes.

Shroom Edibles

You can infuse foods with the psilocybin found in magic mushrooms to make shroom edibles. If you’re melting chocolate for a brownie, you can add minced shrooms into the batter or the chocolate bowl. 

If you’re making cookies or just baking a cake, you can add shrooms into the dough or cake batter. As long as you don’t go above 190-degree Fahrenheit, then you will be found as hallucinogenic in the shrooms and won’t be toasted away. Only bake for about half an hour at the most. 

Two popular products are delicious shroom chocolates and shroom gummies. Or for a more medical approach you can microdose mushrooms with shroom capsules. 

Shroom Tea

Shrooms can be taken in liquid form as well, especially in normal brewing beverages such as tea or coffee. The most popular is the shroom tea. Just add the shrooms to the loose leaf tea and allow it to rest for about 3-4 days. 

Next, just make the cup of tea as you normally would, draining the loose-leaf so you don’t get a bitter taste.

What are the Correct Shroom Dosage Levels?

Taking into account what you have just read, take this following piece of information with a pinch of salt. The strength of the dosage depends on the strain of shroom and your physical and mental composition.

A light dosage is generally thought of to be between 0.25 and 1 gram. Just a quarter of a dried shroom can be this in total. The dosage of this small piece is considered to be friendly to those that are just trying it for the first time. 

Equally as important, is the color of the shroom. If it’s a lighter shade, then it will often have less potency.

A medium dosage is around 1 to 2.5 grams. This could be half of a dried shroom. The thing is, the physical effects for a medium dosage start to showcase what will occur on the upper end of the scale. 

So before taking a lot, make sure you’re scaling your doses with small, to medium first. You can feel nausea, hallucinations, whirling rooms, intense thoughts and dilation of the pupils. 

A strong dose is considered to be anything higher than 2.5 grams but less than 5 grams. It’s definitely out of the realm of beginner and will be deemed to be hazardous. You can have the same symptoms as a medium dose, but far stronger. Feelings of nausea, upset stomach, vomiting, hallucinations, sweating, and a dry mouth. 

We recommend that you do not have a strong dose if you’re not used to it. Never have a strong dose with a new strand that you have not tried before just to be safe, even if you have a high tolerance.

Magic mushrooms are not known to be too dangerous. They do have side effects, but most of the time they do not cause any kind of fatal consequences. Try a small dosage of a lighter mushroom first. The lighter ones will be less potent.

Where Can I Buy Shrooms Online in Canada?

The best place to buy shrooms online is at Just Cannabis, the top online dispensary Canada. We offer a wide selection of magic mushroom products including high-grade, dried shrooms, shroom chocolate, shroom gummies, shroom capsules and shroom tea. 

In addition, we carry a wide range of cannabis related products such as marijuana flower, concentrates, edibles, vapes and CBD products. 

At JustCannabis, we offer the best deals and have weekly promotions that are hard to pass up. So become a part of our community and start saving big on the quality products.