Three Things to Know Before Buying Magic Mushrooms
Like anything we plan to put in our bodies, there are things you should know before consumption.
Avoid Social Media Sellers
In short, it’s best to avoid buying shrooms on social media platforms. Stick to one of the vendors we shared or research online and look for a place with numerous positive reviews. If no reviews are found, that’s a red flag.
Chat with Customer Service
You can also contact the vendor directly and ask for details about how they maintain quality control, the cleanliness protocol for their laboratory, whether they regularly plate their spores on agar to ensure clean prints, and germination rates (high germination rates are the goal, of course). Ask what strains they grow and what the growing conditions are.
A professional company will be more than happy to answer your questions and provide information. Consider somewhere else if they are slow to respond or vague about their processes.
Understand Your Intentions
Each magic mushroom strain holds unique properties. Golden Teacher is known for a more heady or insightful experience, whereas Penis Envy is more visual and introspective.
Before you buy magic mushrooms, it’s best to know what want to experience in return. Are you seeking intense visuals, somatic experiences, spiritual or mystical moments, or a more social-friendly strain?
Your intention can help guide you to purchase the right psychedelic mushroom for you.
Understand the Legality of Psilocybin Mushrooms
Thanks to the growing evidence on how beneficial psilocybin can be for a variety of health issues, changes in legislation are headed in a positive direction. Until these substances are fully legal, you should understand the laws that prevail where you live.
Many countries over the years have closed loopholes that previously enabled the sale of mushrooms as distinct from pure psilocybin or psilocin. Countries like the UK and the Netherlands, where fresh mushrooms were available in cafés and shops, have now rewritten the laws to cover them.
Here’s a quick overview of the legislative rules of psilocybin. For a deeper dive into this, you can reference our psychedelic legality guide, which covers the legal status of other psychedelics & plant medicines across 16 counties.
Decriminalization in the US
Decriminalization is not the same as legalization. Decriminalization is when something is no longer considered a crime and includes removing criminal penalties. And numerous cities have or are looking to decriminalize magic mushrooms.
US cities like Denver, Colorado [6], Oakland, California [7], Santa Cruz, California [8], and Ann Arbor, Michigan [9] have decriminalized psilocybin and psilocin. Keep in mind the state of California criminalizes the sale of spores of Psilocybe.
The state of Oregon voted in an initiative on November 3, 2020, to legalize psilocybin for mental health treatment at licensed centers and decriminalize the possession of small amounts of all drugs [10]. Washington, D.C. passed an initiative to decriminalize the cultivation and possession of “entheogenic plants and fungi” on the same day[11].
In 2021, the City Councils of Somerville, Northampton, and Cambridge, Massachusetts [12] voted for decriminalization. California is currently in the process of reviewing bill SB-519, which would decriminalize many psychedelics, including psilocybin.
Psilocybin as a Schedule 1 in the US
In the United States, psilocybin and psilocin are listed as Schedule 1 drugs [1], making possession of psilocybin-containing mushrooms illegal. Spores do not contain psilocybin or psilocin, which means they are legal to trade or sell in most US states. Spores are illegal in Georgia [2], Idaho [3], and California [4].
The sale of spores to grow hallucinogenic mushrooms is illegal. The cultivation of hallucinogenic mushrooms is considered the manufacture of a Schedule 1 substance; therefore, it is illegal as soon as you germinate the spores.
In Louisiana, through the Louisiana State Act 159, growing, selling, or possessing Psilocybe spp. and Conocybe spp. are prohibited [5].
Canada
In Canada, both dry and fresh psilocybin-containing mushrooms are illegal. As in the US, purchasing spores intending to cultivate is illegal, but buying spores for research and collection is allowed. Most mushroom spores in Canada are sold over the internet as spore prints or in spore syringes. Mushroom grow kits are legal and sold openly on the internet.
Psilocybin and psilocin are classified as Schedule III under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act [13] and are illegal to possess, obtain, or produce without a prescription or license. The Canadian government has a unique Special Access Program (SAP), allowing patients with severe conditions to access restricted drugs. Unfortunately, the process is bureaucratic and slow.
Online dispensaries exist that openly sell microdoses to Canadian patients with medical prescriptions [14]. Police tolerate the activity, stating that they focus instead on pursuing harmful criminal drug activities.
The Netherlands
In the Netherlands, psilocybin-containing fungi are legal as “magic truffles.” The outlawing of psychoactive mushrooms permits truffles, as they are mycelium, not “mushrooms,” through a legal loophole. Magic truffles are sold in smart shops throughout the country, and as of September 2019, they are fully taxed and legalized [15].
Both dry and fresh psychoactive mushrooms were available from Dutch cafés, but the possession of dried magic mushrooms was criminalized in 2005 and fresh mushrooms in 2008. Possession of minor amounts (less than 0.5g dried or 5g fresh) is allowed and will not lead to a criminal charge [16].
The UK
In the UK, psilocybin-containing fungi are listed as a Class A drug, making the possession, cultivation, use, and supply of psilocybin-containing mushrooms illegal. This includes both fresh and “prepared” mushrooms–e.g., mushrooms that have been dried, cooked, or made into a tea.
Before implementing the Drug Act 2005 [17], fresh mushrooms had been widely available, including sales in shops. Section 21 of the Act now makes these an illegal product.
Spores do not contain psilocybin and are therefore not regulated under the Act.
Growing Magic Mushrooms
The legal consequences tied to the growing your own mushrooms are not synonymous with the legal implications to buying shrooms.
Growing magic mushrooms is an excellent alternative to buying, as the reliability, convenience, and price all act in your favor. Of course, it will take time, about 6-8 weeks, before you can harvest. But as they say, all good things take time.
Whether you’re new to mushrooms or a seasoned vet, Third Wave offers a Mushroom Grow Kit that makes your growing experience as simple as possible. We provide a video course and written instructions, a digital community of growers, amateurs, and experts, and all the equipment you need to grow your magic mushrooms.
The only thing we don’t provide is psilocybin spores. While spores don’t technically have psilocybin, Third Wave doesn’t want to brush up against the law with things so gray. So, while we don’t include shroom spores in our Grow Kit, we provide a few reputable, vetted suppliers that will safely, discreetly, and reliably send your high-quality mushroom spores.
