Magic mushrooms are a fascinating subject. While the mushrooms themselves look rather dull and ordinary, their effect on humans has been everything but dull and ordinary. Here is a small taste of their current place in modern society.
The name ‘magic’ mushrooms is somewhat misleading
When we talk about magic mushrooms Canada, we invariably refer to psilocybin mushrooms that contain psilocybin and psilocin. Yet, over 200 fungi species contain psychoactive compounds that can cause experiences like hallucinations, euphoria, nausea or vomiting.
The current status of psilocybin mushrooms is contradictory
The psilocybin mushroom is classified as a Schedule I drug, which means it is considered to have a high potential for abuse and have no accepted medical use. Yet, there is overwhelming anecdotal evidence and research results that show that these mushrooms do, in fact, have several potential medical uses.
They may provide access to the divine
Magic mushrooms have been used since ancient times to commune with the gods, and modern science seems to confirm this ability of psilocybin to cause significant spiritual experiences.
A study at Johns Hopkins University researched the psychological effects of a high dose of psilocybin and found that psilocybin caused mystical experiences, which the volunteers found personally meaningful and of spiritual significance.
A psilocybin mushrooms experience may prove the illusion of the self
Robin Carhart-Harris and his team at the Imperial College of London found that psilocybin dissolves the brain’s control mechanisms (DNM), bringing about a different sense of consciousness.
Study volunteers reported strong feelings of interconnectedness, of being one with everything and everyone. Carhart-Harris drew from these reports the conclusion that the DNM is responsible for our conviction that we are all individuals, a conviction that philosophers, gurus and mystics have long maintained is false Cambodian Psilocybe Cubensis.
Psilocybin mushrooms are not addictive, but they can treat addiction
Magic mushrooms are seen as one of the safest recreational drugs and are not considered addictive, yet they may have the ability to combat addiction. Several studies have suggested that magic mushrooms Canada can be a viable treatment for addiction, including nicotine, alcohol, and drug addiction.
Magic mushrooms spur global prohibition, but five countries resist the general trend
Magic mushrooms are classified as a Schedule 1 drug in most countries and are illegal to obtain. But classification is not straightforward – in some countries, the mushroom is illegal but psilocybin is legal. In other countries they are officially illegal, but unofficially tolerated. In other places, they are decriminalized. Nepal, Samoa, Jamaica, Brazil and the Bahamas are the only countries where possession, sale, transport and cultivation of magic mushrooms are 100% legal.
Psilocybin can take fear away
It can be overwhelming to be diagnosed with terminal cancer. Some patients report that the fear of dying completely takes over their lives.
Studies at Johns Hopkins University and Imperial College, London have found that the administration of psilocybin reduced anxiety and depression in terminal cancer patients caused by their fear of dying. Also, a 2013 study at the University of South Florida found that psilocybin can erase fear in mice.
Final thoughts
There is a reason why psilocybin mushrooms are called magic mushrooms. They seem to be able to do truly magical things. They have certainly piqued the interest of scientists who are trying to harness the power of this fungus for medical purposes.
