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Women & Psychedelics: How Estrogen Alters Psilocybin’s Effects

September 18, 2023 Published by

The numerous benefits of psychedelics have been coming to light in recent years, and women are taking notice. With little options in the way of pharmaceutical drugs, especially when it comes to treating mental illness and hormonal imbalances, it’s no surprise that women are experimenting with hallucinogens to see what can actually help. And better yet, a recent study found that psilocybin can help regulate menstrual issues. Let’s dig deeper into how and why psychedelics are so valuable for the fairer sex.

Women and psychedelics 

The psychedelic renaissance is in full swing, and women are at the heart of it. After decades of prohibition and condemnation (following a brief period of them being studied and used medicinally), the western world is finally starting to reexamine the many therapeutic benefits of these substances. LSD, Ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin have been undergoing various clinical trials to see how they can be utilized to address a growing mental health crisis in the United States.  

Jennifer Gural, a psychotherapist from Los Angeles, California, commented about how hallucinogens have helped change her life, and how she began using them to help her female patients as well. “It shifted the focus of my life,” she stated. “It really helped me to tackle how my brain works and how I was thinking … It was such a profoundly life-changing experience. I have done ayahuasca and I’ve done psilocybin. I don’t know if I’ll ever do it again, but I’m open to that if it’s needed—which I think is how we should use psychedelics.”  

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While there seems to be a recent influx of ladies trying psychedelics, self-medicating is nothing new for women. This could stem from frustrations with our existing health-care system, and how it has been historically geared toward treating men and either dismissing our issues or over-medicating us.  

As women – daughters, mothers, sisters, grandmothers, wives, friends – we have many struggles that we are often forced to face alone. Women are more likely to suffer from PTSD than men – particularly women of color, transgender, and gender-diverse individuals. Women also deal with depression and anxiety more often, and one in seven women have postpartum depression after childbirth.  

New studies have found that even a couple experiences with psychedelics, especially when combined with talk therapy, can lead to lifechanging, psychological developments. As a matter of fact, MDMA and psilocybin have been labeled as “breakthrough therapies” by the FDA, a designation given to “promising drugs proposed to fill an unmet need”. With so many pharmaceutical antidepressant and antianxiety drugs on the market, and the number of mental disorders still rising, we can clearly see that treating our troubled human minds is that unmet need.  

Is this the beginning of a brighter, more beautiful future for women’s healthcare? One where common mental illnesses, chronic pain, and hormonal conditions are treated successfully with psychedelic trips, rather than a lifetime of pharmaceutical medications? It seems quite promising.  

The new research on psilocybin and estrogen 

Although no clinical trials have been conducted, researchers from John Hopkins University have been looking over case files and anecdotal reports on women and psychedelics, and how estrogen can change the effects of psilocybin specifically. We know that estrogen can impact binding at serotonin receptor sites, and because most hallucinogens interact with serotonin receptors as well, experts believe that our cycles can influence how psilocybin works in our bodies, and vice versa, the psilocybin itself can have an impact on our hormones.  

Based on the aforementioned case studies, researchers discovered that psilocybin seemed to help regulate menstrual cycles. One of the women studied had premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which is a very severe form of PMS, and she used psilocybin to help regulate it. In another case, a woman suffered from polycystic ovarian syndrome and was having irregular periods. At one point, menstruation completely stopped for a while, but after taking psilocybin, it came back.  

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“Our menstrual cycles occur along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, so as one hormone kicks off, it tells another hormone what to do in this feedback loop and that’s the trajectory of our menstrual cycles,” says Jennifer Chesak, author of The Psilocybin Handbook for Women. “We also have the axis that manages our stress response, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These two axes sort of overlap, and so they each impact one another. When we use psilocybin, we are at doing something along that stress response along the HPA axis.” 

Chesak added: “We already know from research outside of psychedelics, that these two axes do impact each other: our stress response can impact our cycle, and our cycles can impact our stress response. So, it’s not a stretch to think that when we are using psilocybin, that something is going on with our stress response that then impacts the menstrual cycle” 

Although we only have these few case studies and anecdotal reports at the moment, the results are telling. And it begs the question of when we can see a real clinical trial on this topic, so we can better understand the mechanisms of how it works from a scientific perspective. 

Aside from medical benefits, do women experience psychedelics differently than men? 

Honestly, who really knows? Obviously, no studies have been done on whether women trip differently than men. But it’s possible that because women tend to be more emotional, empathetic, and receptive to spiritual experiences – this could be beneficial to producing better and more positive, even more therapeutic highs.  

Historically, statistics indicate that men use more drugs than women – and this across the board, from illicit drugs to legal substances like tobacco and alcohol. And since most research is still conducted on male subjects, female drug use patterns and their subsequent experiences remain somewhat of an enigma.  

However, we do know that in general, psychotropic drugs impact women differently than men, but sex-based responses to medications are often overlooked. It wasn’t until the 1990s that women were even allowed to participate in clinical trials in the United States, and many studies are still done using a larger number of male participants.  

Despite this, women are twice as likely as men to be prescribed psychotropic medication (back to that overmedicating issue), and recent research shows that factors like different hormones, body composition, and metabolism can cause different drug-reactions. For example, the sleep medication Ambien was found to be twice as potent for women.  

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Additionally, experts claim that women are “between 50 and 75 percent more likely to experience side effects”. An analysis of existing clinical trials published June 5, 2020, in the journal Biology of Sex Differences, authored by Prendergast and Irving Zucker of UC Berkley, they noted 86 drugs which presented “clear evidence of sex differences in how the body broke down the drug.” They found that “For nearly all of these drugs, women metabolized them more slowly than men, leading to higher levels of exposure to the drug; in 96% of cases, this resulted in significantly higher rates of adverse side effects in women.” 

Final thoughts 

To reiterate, because the foundation of modern medicine is structured around research performed almost exclusively on men, most of what science tells us about the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illness may not be applicable to women. With so much of our population feeling like they are not understood by healthcare professionals, it’s no surprise that a growing number of women are self-medicating with cannabis, psychedelics, and other natural, alternative solutions.

As we learn more about how psilocybin and other hallucinogens interact with female hormones, we can better understand how to use these incredible products to improve our health, and our lives.  

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Why Do Magic Mushrooms Turn Blue? 

August 23, 2023 Published by

Mushrooms are pretty common. As a matter of fact, there are over 14,000 identified species so far. That’s a lot to sort through, and it can be hard to know what’s safe, poisonous, or magical. One way to tell magic mushrooms from their counterparts and imposters is that they often turn blue when picked or bruised. But what exactly is the science behind this strange occurrence? It’s a mystery that has puzzled researchers for decades, but a few years ago, a team of German scientists seemed to have stumbled on the answer.  

All about magic mushrooms

Magic mushrooms belong to a group of fungi containing the hallucinogenic compound psilocybin (and/or trace amounts of psilocin). For the sake of simplicity, and because amanitas are not subject to bluing, we’ll be leaving them out of today’s discussion. Psilocybin mushrooms are similar to other hallucinogens like LSD and DMT, in that they all attach to serotonin receptors to create a psychoactive response. Some examples of popular magic mushrooms include: Panaeolus, Conocybe, and Psilocybe – the most well-known.  

While different hallucinogens are known for causing different reactions, or trips, there are some underlying similarities with all of them such as: visual, sensory, and auditory hallucinations, feelings of spirituality, euphoria, connectedness, introspection, and overall well-being, experiencing mystical and otherworldly encounters.  

Although all magic mushrooms contain psilocybin, their potency varies and is based on the level of active compounds in each strain. What’s great about mushrooms in comparison to other hallucinogens, is that you can really customize your dose from a microdose of 0.1 to 0.3 grams, all the way to what’s known as a heroic dose which is typically 5 grams or more in one sitting.  

Japanese Magic Mushrooms: Bioluminescent Fungi

Like all other psychedelics, the active compounds in mushrooms are listed as Schedule 1 narcotics in the DEA’s list of controlled substances. Although both psilocybin and psilocin are listed, it’s worth noting that psilocybin is the real active compound in these mushrooms. To feel the effects of the psilocybin, our bodies convert it to psilocin, which also exists in trace amounts in shrooms.  

There are some loopholes when it comes to the legality of mushroom related products, such as the spores used to grow them. Those are federally legal because only the fruiting bodies contain psilocybin, the spores do not. Interestingly, mushrooms are also not scheduled in the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, nor on the Convention of Psychotropic Substances. This was confirmed in 2001 when the INCB’s Secretary of the Board made the following statement to the Dutch Ministry of Health:  

“As a matter of international law, no plants (natural material) containing psilocine (psilocin) and psilocybin are at present controlled under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971. Consequently, preparations made of these plants are not under international control and, therefore, not subject of the articles of the 1971 Convention.” 

The connection between psilocybin and bluing  

Psilocybin with blue coloration on the stems

One of the most notable physical characteristics of psilocybin mushrooms is the blue hue they get when they get cut or bruised in some way. Aside from being indicative of the mushroom containing psilocybin, for decades mycologists struggled to figure out the root cause of the bluing. In 1967, a research team from Ithaca, New York, had a minor breakthrough when they observed the same bluing reaction in rat brain cells treated with psilocin. They claimed that oxidation of the compound is what caused the reaction.  

Again, psilocin is a minor compound in mushrooms. It’s an unstable molecule that breaks down very quickly, whereas psilocybin is more stable and resilient. Researchers suspected that the compounds vulnerability to the elements was the reason behind the color change, and in 2019, a German pharmaceutical microbiologist and his colleagues were able to prove it.  

According to Hoffmeister, picking, cutting, or damaging the mushrooms in even the slightest way can trigger a chemical reaction that activates two different enzymes in the mushroom, PsiP and PsiL. When a mushroom is mishandled, the PsiP enzyme converts psilocybin to psilocin within the mushroom, similar to how the enzymes in the human liver do. Shortly after, the second enzyme, PsiL oxidizes the psilocin, causing it to become unstable and convert into inactive compounds.  

A summary of this study published by Nature explains that “this action forces individual psilocin molecules to fuse into pairs, trios, and larger groupings; and these psilocin conglomerates appear blue to the human eye because the new chemical structures reflect blue light.” 

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This phenomenon has been observed elsewhere in nature, like butterflies and bluebirds for example, whose wings and feathers don’t actually contain blue pigment, but rather the blue is created by the process of diffraction of light as it passes through the structures of their wings.  

Are blue mushrooms more potent? 

This is a common misconception, but no. Although blue bruising is a tell-tale indicator that the mushroom contains psilocybin, the connection pretty much ends there. As a matter of fact, mushrooms become less potent the more the bruise because the psilocybin is eventually converted into inactive compounds, so it’s important to handle and harvest your shrooms very carefully.

Any amount of psilocybin can create the blue bruising, so that has nothing to do with potency. Even when looking at mycelium, which is the vegetative part of the magic mushroom that consists of a network of thread-like hyphae structures. Although it’s not commonly thought of as being psychoactive, it does contain some psilocybin and also experiences the bluing reaction when bothered.  

Final thoughts

The cause of the bluing reaction in magic mushrooms has long evaded mycologists and shroom enthusiasts, but thanks to a team of researchers from Germany, we now have an answer. Not only do we know why magic mushrooms turn blue when bruised, but we now know that magic mushrooms with too much blue are likely less potent than their gently handled counterparts.

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Salem is Latest City in MA to Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms 

May 28, 2023 Published by

Salem is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in our nation. First settled in the early 1600s, it was the second official community in Massachusetts, following Plymouth a few years prior. Perhaps one of the most infamous (and disturbing) points in the town’s history was the witch trials of 1692 in which at least 25 people were murdered and hundreds more were imprisoned. 

Interestingly, a longstanding theory exists that the unconventional behavior of the accused was not caused by witchcraft, but rather, experimentation with hallucinogenic drugs. Whether this is true or not is hard to say, but it’s a plausible idea as psychedelics can make people more open to different spiritual concepts and practices. And the natural element of most of the drugs fits in well with many Pagan beliefs and rituals.  

Over the years, Massachusetts has become rather liberal, and the community of Salem is no exception as they recently became the sixth locale in the state to move towards decriminalization of psychedelic mushrooms. Let’s take a closer look at the recent measure, as well as dive into some of Salem’s colorful history.  

What’s the news? 

On May 11th, the city of Salem made the official move toward ending arrests for magic mushrooms when the city council unanimously (9-0) passed a measure that calls for the decriminalization of psilocybin products. The bill specifically asks the Essex County District Attorney to abstain from prosecuting people for possession of magic mushrooms and other items containing psilocybin.  

“It makes me a better father, it makes me more productive in a mindful way,” said Councilman Andy Varela, chair of the Public Health, Safety and Environmental Committee. 

The measure had an interesting and unlikely supporter, Salem’s chief of police, Lucas Miller. “The indications that psilocybin could be helpful for opiate addiction is something that should not be ignored. We lose about 20 people in Salem a year to opioid overdose.” 

The move was largely backed by, Bay Staters for Natural Medicine, a group that advocates for decriminalizing plant-derived medicines. “Our communities deserve access to these plant medicines. From parents to veterans to law enforcement, many different types of people are working through trauma with these gifts of nature,” remarked James Davis, a co-founder of Bay Staters. “They are becoming more conscientious and compassionate versions of themselves. It’s beautiful.” 

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Although the bill hasn’t been enacted into law yet, it’s expected to pass with a second unanimous vote and get sent to the mayor’s desk in the upcoming weeks. And to clarify, this measure does not make psilocybin mushrooms completely legal, nor does it authorize the purchase, sale, or distribution of any such products. 

Some history about Salem 

Salem was one of the earliest settlements in North America, and the second established community in Massachusetts. It was founded in 1626 by a group of immigrants from Cape Ann led by colonist Roger Conant. The community was originally name Naumkeag belonged to a Native American tribe by the same name, but the settlers decided to rename it Salem, which is derived from the Hebrew word for “peace”.  

Salem is an important town in our nation’s culture and history. As a matter of fact, during the Revolutionary war, a party of Salem-area patriots became the first armed resistance to British rule. They made a stance on February 26th, 1775 when they raised the North Bridge drawbridge preventing Col. Leslie and his British forces from commandeering their ammunition and army supplies stores.  

But all that aside, what the town is perhaps best known for, are the Salem witch trials that began in 1692. In just a few short months, at least 25 innocent people were accused of witchcraft and killed either by hanging, drowning, or pressing/crushing, and countless more were imprisoned awaiting execution. Ironically, the trials ended when the Governor William Phipps wife was accused, at which point he disbanded the court, pardoned all the prisoners, and ceased all trials.  

An interesting theory surrounding the trials, is that the erratic behavior exhibited by those believed to be practicing witchcraft, where in fact caused by use of psychedelic drugs (whether intentional or accidental is up for debate), including rye ergot/LSD and psilocybin mushrooms. Over 300 years after people were possibly persecuted and killed for using magic mushrooms, and now Salem is on the list of early locales to decriminalize them 

Where else in Massachusetts are magic mushrooms decriminalized? 

Previous communities to adopt similar measures are Cambridge, Somerville, Northampton, Easthampton and Amherst. Somerville was the first location to make the move, back in 2021, and it all started with a 31-year-old resident, Alex Karasik, who was looking for a way to treat his post-traumatic stress disorder.

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“I was nearly killed in a robbery in Chicago four years ago, and I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. And a lot of my life plans were derailed,” Karasick testified during a council meeting. “I wasn’t able to sleep, and I was in a really dark place mentally. Through a combination of therapy and psilocybin mushrooms, over time I have overcome my experience, and I’m happy to say that I’m in a much better place mentally.” 

Following his testimony, the council voted unanimously to decriminalize entheogenic plants. As per the resolution, “Somerville agencies and employees, including police, should not use city resources to assist in enforcing laws against the use and possession of entheogenic plants by adults.” Paving the way to eventual decriminalization throughout all of Massachusetts.  

“This is just another tool in the tool box in terms of what we have available to help with many of the afflictions that are affecting society today,” said Councilor Jesse Clingan, one of the sponsors of the resolution. 

Final thoughts 

Although it doesn’t sound like a huge deal, being the sixth city to decriminalize mushrooms… it most certainly is. Not only are they sixth out of 351 cities and towns in the state, but it sets a certain precedent that eventually, more regions will follow.  

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Deal of the Day: Stock Up on Magic Mushroom Spores

March 12, 2023 Published by

Growing mushrooms – whether functional or therapeutic ones – is a relatively simple endeavor, especially when compared to the process of cultivating cannabis and other wellness or recreational plants. While many require a lot of time, labor, space, and supplies, the opposite is true for shrooms. With a few easy-to-find items, good quality mushroom spores, and some clean substrate, you can set up the whole thing in a dresser drawer then literally just sit back and watch the magic happen.  

These days, it’s no problem to find all-inclusive mushroom grow kits that provide everything you need to start your grow in one quick purchase. The only thing that does not come in these kits (due to regulatory hangups) are spores. If you want to grow medicinal, hallucinogenic shrooms in the comfort of your own home, you will need to also buy your own spores.  

Luckily, a number of companies are starting to sell mushroom syringes, although some do have a few restrictions regarding what states/countries they ship to. Below we have a great deal on spores from a company that ships to every state. See the full list of our Deal of the day offers, or scroll down to learn more!  

Deal of the Day – Magic Mushroom Spores  

Stock up on magic mushroom spore syringes in a few different strains. Get one at a time or bundle up and save them for future projects. The strains you can choose from are Penis Envy, Blue Meanie, Jedi Mind Fuck, and Purple Mystic. Each of these strains are unique and produce different types of highs. You have the option of buying one syringe for $19.99, a 4-back that includes one of each strain for $72.79, or a box of 20 for $239.99 each if you really want to stock up.

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To get these prices, you will have to click the link provided and use our coupon code “cannadelics” to receive 20% off the listed prices. It’s a new offer from this company, but they already have one positive review that states “Awesome product, will be buying more for presentation to mycology classes!” This person bought the Penis Envy variety, which is a strain that’s growing in popularity due to its potency, but let’s take a quick look at all the strains available in this deal!

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Penis Envy

mushroom spores

Penis Envy mushrooms quickly becoming one of the most sought-after magic mushroom species. They are known for their potency, with many experts claiming the contain (on average) two to three times more psilocybin and psilocin than standard shroom varieties. According to journalist and scientist Hamilton Morris, “their potency deviates so much from other strains, they are almost treated like a different species entirely.”

Click here to save on Penis Envy mushroom spores

Blue Meanies

Blue Meanies get their name from the fact that they turn dark blue whenever picked. Rumor has it they were named after the Blue Meanies from The Beatles’ video “Yellow Submarine.”Mushrooms from this genus are very common, and thus, they are considered a classic in the world of shrooming.

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Jedi Mind Fuck

Jedi Mind Fuck, sometimes called “Jedi Mind Trip,” or just JMF is another popular strain with trip reports suggesting intense visual and auditory hallucinations and feelings of euphoria and introspection from this strain. When it comes to growing JMF, they are a bit more challenging than other strains, as they are less resistant to contamination, and they are slower to fruit. Well worth it though if you have the extra time.

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Purple Mystic

Purple Mystic is a relatively new strain but it’s quickly growing in popularity. This type of mushrooms originates from cow pastures in East Plant City, Florida. Upon discovery, mushroom specimens were collected and named “Purple Mystic”, for the purple ring that develops around the cap of this mushroom. As veils break and spores drop the entire canopy takes on a purple hue. Purple Mystic was distributed to members of the mycology community where it was collectively stabilized and domesticated.

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Remember, to access the 20% off deals, you will need to use THIS LINK, and enter the coupon code “cannnadelics” at checkout.

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What is Psilocybin?

Psilocybin is the main psychedelic compound in mushrooms and truffles. It’s a basic tryptamine hallucinogen, with properties similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and DMT, although the chemical structure and effects are different. Research shows a common mechanism of action through serotonergic (5-HT) pathways. Psilocybin is a strong agonist at 5-HT receptors which are located within the thalamus and cortex of the brain

The onset of hallucinogenic effects typically kicks in around 20 to 40 minutes after consumption, and they last up to 6 hours. Psilocybin’s threshold for intoxication is approximately 40 mcg/kg of body weight. In wild mushrooms with lower levels of psilocybin, this translates to about 2 grams, although some people use up to 4 grams for a good psychedelic trip.

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Psilocybin was first isolated by swiss chemist Albert Hoffmann in 1958, using the Psilocybe Mexicana mushroom species from Central America. Psilocybin is found in both wild and cultivated mushrooms, although just like with cannabis, cultivated mushrooms tend to be more potent. Through cross-breeding, cultivated mushrooms can have up to 10 times higher levels of psilocybin than wild species.

Growing Your Own Mushrooms – A Few Things to Keep in Mind

Mushroom growing is a fun side project because it’s l you really need are spores, a growth medium, and something to enclose all in; then you just let nature run its course. One of the most important things to remember throughout the process (anytime you’re handling anything other than outside of the fruiting bag/chamber), is cleanliness.

If it seems like you’re doing too much, trust me, you’re not. Wear gloves, a mask, keep your hair pulled back, and sanitize the surface that your grow kit will be on. Also, make sure to clean each and every part of your grow kit with soap and water, let it dry, then wipe it down with some alcohol wipes. 

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It’s very easy for bacteria to contaminate a grow box, and once it’s sealed up and filled with the necessary amount of moisture/humidity required for mushrooms to grow, the bacteria will multiply and grow right along with it. Should that happen to you, some spots of contamination can be managed using bleach and sometimes lemon juice, but it’s better not to have to deal with it in the first place.

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Growing mushrooms at home is easy, fun, beneficial, and saves you quite a bit of money, as well as prevents the headache of trying to find someone who sells shrooms (it’s not as easy as finding a cannabis dealer). Aside from buying a kit or set up (click here for ideas), you’ll need some good spores, and the deal above is a perfect place to start your shopping.

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The Positives and Negatives of Magic Mushrooms

January 27, 2023 Published by

Magic mushrooms, like any substance, can be the best or worst drug to take. It really depends on a variety of factors. It’s sometimes hard to find a nuanced view on recreational drugs – especially when many people want to either berate them or promote them beyond belief. The truth is – like people – drugs have their good sides and their bad. In this article we’re going to go through the positives and negatives of these hallucinogenic drugs, with the hope that with this knowledge you’ll be able to create your perfect psilocybin experience. Let’s go. 

What are Magic Mushrooms?

There are supposedly around 14,000 species of mushrooms in the world, and only 200 of these are considered ‘magic’. To put this into perspective, around 100 of the 14,000 species are also fatal. You don’t want to mix these guys up. The most common of the magic mushrooms are the Cubensis or golden cap. These have a brown top and long white stem. Magic mushrooms, also known as shrooms, are a type of mushroom that contains the psychoactive compound psilocybin.

This compound is converted into psilocin in the body and is responsible for the hallucinogenic effects of the mushrooms. They can produce altered states of consciousness, including visual and auditory hallucinations and changes in perception. Magic mushrooms have been used for centuries by indigenous people in Central and South America for spiritual and medicinal purposes. It is believed that statues dating back to 200CE exist that highlight the communal use and admiration for the magic plant. 

Comparing Shroom Highs – Psilocybin vs Muscimol

Now

Despite the past, shrooms are now illegal in most of the major nations in the world. In the US, psilocybin is a Schedule I drug and, In the UK, it is considered a class A. These are both on the same level of substances as heroin in regards to severity of sentence and danger. However, in recent years there has certainly been a slow shifting tide. The use of psilocybin in the medical world – specifically in treating mental health issues – has destigmatized the drug. John Hopkins Medicine was heavily involved in these studies and: 

“Researchers showed that psychedelic treatment with psilocybin relieved major depressive disorder symptoms in adults for up to a month. Now, in a follow-up study of those participants, the researchers report that the substantial antidepressant effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy, given with supportive psychotherapy, may last at least a year for some patients.”

The effects of magic mushrooms, when paired with therapy, can seriously help people alter their depressive tendencies. It is these kinds of studies, and the acceptance of the benefits of drugs, that highlights the importance of nuance in the drug conversation. 

Nuance in Drug Conversation

For too long now, ‘drugs’ have been synonymous with ‘bad’. It is time to open up our minds and see the nuance. Substances have the potential to be dangerous if used incorrectly, whilst also fun and beneficial if used right. Nuance is an important aspect of any discussion, but it is especially crucial when it comes to discussions about drugs. This is because they can have a wide range of effects on the human body and can be used for a variety of purposes. Without nuance, it is easy for a conversation about drugs to become oversimplified or misleading.

The War on Drugs, began by Nixon, is responsible for killing any nuance. He successfully demonized the substances, and many other social groups, for his own political gain. This has lasted generations. It is 2023, and now is the time for us to fully throw away any preconceived ideas we once had about illegal substances, and simply look at the data and studies that are being done. Of course, drugs have hurt and killed people, but so have they helped and saved people. Let’s educate the world openly and use these substances to our own advantage. 

Pros & Cons of Shrooms

As we’ve said, nuance is key. Magic mushrooms have the ability to open up people’s minds and fill their lives with joy, but they also can be quite revealing and scary. Hallucinations are not always positive and fun. We’re going to take a look – in a nuanced fashion – at some of the pros and cons of magic mushrooms.

Positives of Magic Mushrooms

Positive side effects of taking magic mushrooms may include:

1 – Creativity

Psilocybin activates receptors in the brain and reduces the energy needed for the brain to switch between activity states. This can increase activity if taken at the right dosage. Many people report feeling more creative and having a greater sense of self-awareness after taking magic mushrooms. This can be helpful for those seeking personal growth or wanting to get something creative done. This is why micro-dosing shrooms have become so popular. Suddenly you’re able to think outside of your usual boxed brain, and can come up with ideas and thoughts that usually aren’t there. Some believe the entire concept of the internet was derived from an LSD trip. 

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2 – Connection

When you take mushrooms, it can Increase the sense of connection to others and the world around you. The borders between these things suddenly vanish, allowing you to realise that we are all one and the same. In other words, ego death. Your individuality no longer matters, you are part of one entity. This can lead to a sense of unity and a feeling of oneness with the universe. It can also seriously improve our relationships with other people in our lives, realising they too are struggling non-egos wandering around this confusing world. 

3 – Mental Health Improvement

It is this ego death that can seriously help with reducing anxiety and depression in people who suffer from this. With therapy too, they can move away from their usual thought patterns, and see that the world is not against them. In fact, there is no ‘them’ and never needed to be. The powers of psilocybin allow us to completely shift our minds, realising that our problems, fears and anxieties are not necessarily as important or crippling as we once thought.

Negatives of Magic Mushrooms

Negative side effects of taking magic mushrooms may include:

1 – Hallucinations

On the other hand, hallucinations and distorted perception can also be a difficult thing to experience. One of the main effects of magic mushrooms is the alteration of perception, which depending on your own set and setting, will either be enjoyable or the complete opposite. If you are not in the ideal mindset or location, it is possible that your visions may become unpleasant. They may become overwhelming or even frightening. This is why set and setting is so integral to any trip embarked on. 

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2 – Paranoia

Another negative of this psychedelic drug that can occur is paranoia and anxiety. The unpleasant hallucinations can easily lead to these feelings. Suddenly you become afraid of what might arise in you, or what you might do or say. You no longer feel free and spirited, instead you feel out of control. Being out of control is not something we are used to as people in a constricted and structured world, which is why it’s always good to have a trip sitter with you. They can ensure you stay safe. 

3 – Nausea

Magic mushrooms aren’t the best tasting plants. In fact, it can be quite disgusting eating a few grams of these. They taste like sour soil with a consistency of a mushy potato. Basically not ideal. In addition, when they settle in your stomach, they don’t always agree with everyone. Magic mushrooms can cause nausea and vomiting in some people, particularly if they are consumed in large amounts. The key is to have a drink with you and eat them slowly. 

Conclusion

These were some of the positives and negatives of magic mushrooms, laid out in a nuanced way. This is because magic mushrooms can be amazing, but they can also be dangerous if used incorrectly. It is time for us to understand both realities at the same time. As with any psychoactive substance, it is important to use caution and to be aware of the potential risks. But it’s also vital that we allow these specimens to have the medical and recreation benefits that they’ve been giving us for centuries. It’s time to befriend the shroom, not outcast it. Nonetheless, in 2023, the future of psilocybin is beginning to look bright.

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Two Bills to Decriminalize Psychedelics Filed in Massachusetts

January 24, 2023 Published by

Two bills were filed in Massachusetts to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, mescaline, and ibogaine. The bills would end the prosecution of psychedelic substances in the Bay State.

The Boston Herald reports that companion bills were filed in the Massachusetts House and Senate. The House bill, “An Act relative to plant medicine,” or Bill HD.1450, was filed by Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa. The Senate bill, titled “An act relative to plant medicine,” Bill SD.949 was filed by Sen. Patricia Jehlen.

Adults ages 18 and older would not be prosecuted for personal amounts of psychedelics.

The bill would decriminalize “the possession, ingestion, obtaining, growing, giving away without financial gain to natural persons 18 years of age or older, and transportation of no more than two grams of psilocybin, psilocin, dimethyltryptamine, ibogaine, and mescaline.”

The bills would amend the state general law’s Section 50: Entheogenic Plants and Fungi.

The bill however does not allow for the sale of psychedelics: “‘Financial gain’ shall mean the receipt of money or other valuable consideration in exchange for the item being shared,” the bill adds.

“Mushrooms are life changing,” James Davis, co-founder of Bay Staters for Natural Medicine, said in a statement. “From depression to addiction to painful cluster headaches, they are a tool that people should use in a caring community.

“There’s no better way to promote intentional and mindful use than to decriminalize minor amounts for home growing and sharing without enabling commercial sale,” Davis added.

“Humans have used psychedelic plants and fungi, non-addictive by their nature, for spiritual relief for more than 13,000 years: from Northern Africa and the Americas—to Greece and the Middle East,” Bay Staters for Natural Medicine states on their website. “President Nixon banned these plants as Schedule One “drugs” through the Federal Controlled Substances Act without scientific basis to purposefully criminalize Black Americans and anti-war protesters. We work to reverse these policies and stop for-profit corporations from monopolizing the facilitation market to needlessly charge desperate people thousands of dollars.”

The statewide move comes after a handful of cities decriminalized psychedelics at the city level. Somerville, Cambridge, Northampton, and Easthampton, for instance, voted to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms and other entheogenic plants.

The reasons to decriminalize are growing: The global market for psychedelic drugs including psilocybin, ketamine, and LSD is expected to grow to nearly $12 billion per year before 2030, according to data from a recent market analysis. In a report released last Thursday, Brandessence Market Research revealed that the psychedelic drug market is anticipated to reach a valuation of $11.82 billion by 2029, growing from an estimated $4.87 billion in 2022.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance. Belief that psychedelics could help control the opioid epidemic is growing. A 2017 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine study, involving 44,000 participants, found that psychedelic use was associated with a 40% reduced risk of opioid abuse. A more recent study that suggested an even stronger reduced risk—55%.

Meanwhile, Tryp Therapeutics signed a letter of intent earlier this month with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, to fund and conduct a Phase 2a clinical trial. The team of researchers will be investigating the effects of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of patients aged 21 and older who are suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

More states are moving to loosen laws surrounding psychedelic use for therapeutic purposes. Colorado and Oregon decriminalized psilocybin mushrooms.

The post Two Bills to Decriminalize Psychedelics Filed in Massachusetts appeared first on High Times.

New Research Finds Magic Mushrooms are Effective at Treating Migraines

January 17, 2023 Published by

As individual cities and even a couple of entire US States are working to ease up legislation against entheogens, scientists have been looking into the many health benefits of psychedelic mushrooms. In addition to finding them effective for managing numerous different mental health conditions, an area of current interest is whether or not they can be used to treat certain neurological disorders. A recent study published in the journal Neuropathics offered some preliminary evidence that the active compounds in magic mushrooms could provide long-lasting benefits to people who suffer from migraines.  

The concept is nothing new, as anecdotal reports of using shrooms to treat migraines have existed for years. However, until now, there was no scientific evidence to substantiate these claims. This study is the first double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to examine this particular use for psilocybin.  

Magic mushrooms explained  

Before diving into the new research, let’s quickly go over some basics about magic mushrooms. First and foremost, there are two types of mushrooms that are known to produce psychoactive effects: those containing psilocybin and those containing musicmol. While both have psychoactive effects, the active ingredients and how they function in the body are very different. 

Amanita muscaria mushrooms on left, Psilocybin mushrooms on right

Psilocybin mushrooms are a polyphyletic group of informal fungi containing psilocybin. There are a few different biological genera of psilocybin mushrooms such as Psilocybe, Panaeolus, Inocybe, Pluteus, Gymnopilus, and Pholiotina, as well as many different species – 116 total have been documented thus far. Out of those, the majority are found in Mexico (53 species), with a pretty even distribution throughout various other pockets of the world: Canada and the US (22), Australia and associated islands (19), Europe (16), Asia (15), and Africa (4). 

Their appearance is unassuming and often downright drab. They are typically have small caps with long, slender stems, dark spores, and dark gills underneath. However, looks can be deceiving, and what they lack in color and pizazz, they make up for in effects. The strength of the high is very dose-dependent, ranging from only therapeutic effects with a microdose, up to completely out-of-this-world trips when taking a “heroic” dose.  

Then we have Amanita muscaria; often referred to as the fly agaric, fly amanita, or simply amanita mushroom. It is a member of the Basidiomycota family of fungi, of the genus Amanita. It’s a highly adaptable mushrooms species that can now be found throughout the world, and it’s closely tied to various deciduous and coniferous trees, commonly found growing under birch and pine.  

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Amanita muscaria mushrooms have round, dome-shaped, red caps with white spots and white gills. They are very easily recognizable, one of the most well-known of the toadstool mushroom species, as a matter of fact. You can spot Amanita muscaria mushrooms in video games like Mario and Assassin’s Creed, Disney movies like Alice in Wonderland and Fantasia, as well as many other media sources. 

The high is described as being euphoric, comforting, hypnotic, dissociative, with strong anxiolytic properties, sound and visual enhancement, feelings of unity and connectivity, dream potentiation, and a strong body high. In my limited experience with Amanita muscaria, I would say that’s it is much milder than psilocybin, but I only tried it once and it was in the form of gummies. Eating the caps or using a tincture or powder might have provided different effects.  

Psilocybin shrooms to treat migraines – the research 

This particular study was conducted by Emmanuelle A.D. Schindler, an assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine. It was small-scale, only 10 participants (7 women and 3 men), and lasted a few weeks. Initially, each of the subjects started keeping notes in a daily diary to track their migraine symptoms. After 2 weeks, they were each given a placebo; then after another two weeks, they all received a capsule containing low doses of psilocybin and they continued journaling for another two weeks. 

“When I learned that patients with certain headache disorders reported lasting improvements after just a single or few doses of psilocybin or other psychedelics, it made me wonder whether these drugs couldn’t help us better understand the underlying pathology in headache disorders, as well as serve as a new form of treatment,” Schindler stated.  

At the time, both the participants and the research staff were unaware of which capsule contained the placebo and which capsule contained psilocybin.  

Schindler and her colleagues found that psilocybin was associated with a greater reduction in the frequency of migraines compared to placebo in the two weeks after capsule ingestion. Psilocybin was also associated with reductions in both headache pain severity and migraine-related functional impairments. 

“This study is very preliminary and does not serve as a guide for how to manage migraine with psilocybin, but it does offer some important information. In this study, the effects of psilocybin on migraine (the disorder, not a single attack) were investigated. Psilocybin had a lasting effect on migraines, similar to the effect of taking a daily preventive medication, but psilocybin was only given a single time in this study,” Schindler told PsyPost. 

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“There is no other oral treatment that can do this,” Schindler added. “Furthermore, the dose in this study was a low dose, only minimally psychedelic, and people did not have to have a strong (or any) psychedelic experience when they took the drug to have a reduction in their migraine burden over the next couple weeks. This suggests that the acute effects of the drug while it’s in your body are not related to the improvement in migraine in the following weeks.” 

These results mirror that of a previous study, also conducted by Schindler and her colleagues and published in 2015, which found that psilocybin mushrooms could effectively treat another similar neurological disorder known as cluster headaches. The study even claimed that shrooms were far better at managing cluster headaches than existing standard treatments.  

Despite all the promising findings, Schindler emphasized that a lot more research needs to be done on this front before mushrooms can actually start to be utilized in conventional treatment plans.  

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“Different doses need to be studied and the effects and safety of repeating drug administration also need to be investigated,” she explained. “Ultimately, we still need to identify the doses and regimens that are safe and effective in managing migraine over the long-term. Migraine is a disease that stays with patients for decades, so we have to consider whether and how psilocybin might have a role in such a condition.” 

That being said, no adverse effects were reported from either of the studies, but since psychedelics can be somewhat fickle and the effects can vary quite significantly from trip to trip, it’s important to be very cautious when you’re; A: new the world of entheogens, and B: you’re using them in a medicinal manor. It’s also worth noting that all of the study participants underwent “extensive physical and mental health screenings” prior to participating in the study.  

What about Amanita muscaria? 

All the aforementioned research is on psilocybin; so, what about muscimol? Is that also good for treating migraines? Regarding amanita mushrooms, I couldn’t find any actual studies on this topic, and anecdotal data shows mixed results. Some people report that muscimol products do, in fact, help with their migraines, while others say they developed migraines after using it.  

These discrepancies can be due to several different factors including: 

  • What kind of product did they use? Were they caps that still contained ibotenic acid or prepared products that only had muscimol?  
  • Where these people already predisposed to developing migraines? 
  • What was the dosage of whatever product they took? And what kind of tolerance do they have to amanita muscaria? 
  • How was their overall health that day? Did they eat anything or drink enough water throughout the day? Were they stressed, anxious, or worried about anything?  

These and many other elements can change the nature of a trip and lead to different side effects. More studies need to be conducted on Amanita muscaria mushroom compounds to better learn how they work in the human body and what medical conditions they would be best used for.  

Final thoughts 

As precursory as this study might be, it really shows both how far we have come on the psychedelics research front, as well as how mainstream mushrooms have become over the last couple of years. And if you suffer from migraines like I do, you know how important it is to have more treatment options available, especially some that are safe, natural, and practical to use over longer periods of time.

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Comparing Shroom Highs – Psilocybin vs Muscimol

December 30, 2022 Published by

As amanita muscaria products grow in popularity, curious consumers are wondering how the active ingredient in these shrooms, muscimol, compares against the much more well-known psychedelic mushroom compound, psilocybin.

In this article I’ll be outlining the differences and similarities between both types of psychedelic mushrooms, as well as offering a bit of my own personal experience with each. Let’s take a closer look.

Meet the mushrooms: Psilocybin vs Amantia 

When it comes to getting high with mushrooms, there are two primary types that people use (and one is much more common than the other): Psilocybin mushrooms and Amanita mushrooms. Psilocybin mushrooms are undoubtably more popular, and their acclaim is steadily grown. I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who grows and sells shrooms and he said that during December 2022, he had more requests for shrooms than he did throughout the entire year up to that point. He is currently sold out till the next flush is ready sometime in the spring.  

Psilocybin mushrooms are a polyphyletic group of informal fungi containing psilocybin. There are a few different biological genera of psilocybin mushrooms including Psilocybe, Panaeolus, Inocybe, Pluteus, Gymnopilus, and Pholiotina. There are many different types of psilocybin mushrooms, in total, 116 species have been documented. Out of those, the majority are found in Mexico (53 species), with a pretty even distribution throughout various other pockets of the world: Canada and the US (22), Australia and associated islands (19), Europe (16), Asia (15), and Africa (4). 

Standard characteristics of these mushrooms are dark spores, small caps with dark gills underneath, and long, slender stems. They are often unassuming in color (shades of grey, brown, and white with hints of blue from the psilocybin production) and general appearance. Despite being found all over the world, there are some specific conditions in which they thrive, mainly subtropical humid forests.  

Psilocybin mushrooms have a very long and colorful history, having been used spiritually and therapeutically in several indigenous cultures. They were depicted in Pre-Columbian sculptures and petroglyphs found in the Americas, as well as in Stone Age-era rock art in Africa and Europe. 

Then we have Amanita muscaria; often referred to as the fly agaric, fly amanita, or simply amanita mushroom, is a member of the Basidiomycota family of fungi, of the genus Amanita. This mushroom species gets its common name from its ability to attract and kill flies and possibly, mosquitos. The fly agaric is native to the temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere including Europe, North America, and Siberia/Northern Asia. 

It’s a highly adaptable mushrooms species that can now be found throughout the world, and it’s closely tied to various deciduous and coniferous trees, commonly found growing under birch and pine. Amanita muscaria mushrooms have round, often dome-shaped, red caps with white spots and white gills. They are without a doubt one of the most recognizable of the toadstool mushroom species. You can spot Amanita muscaria mushrooms in the Mario franchise games, the Alice in Wonderland mushroom scene, and many other cartoons and animated games.  

Although they have many features that make them easily discernible from other mushroom varieties, there are several known subspecies of Amanita muscaria, some more potent/toxic than others. Additionally, new DNA fungi research has discovered that many of the mushroom species often believed to muscarias are actually entirely different species, like the peach-colored fly agaric, which retains is common name although it is not a fly agaric at all. 

These mushrooms have an equally interesting history and strong connection with Christmas. As the story goes, Siberian shamans riding reindeer were dropping bags of mushroom into the locals’ yurts during the Pagan winter solstice celebrations. Amanita mushrooms were sacred to the indigenous people of Siberia and the Evenki Northern Tungusic shaman used them regularly during ceremonies and rituals. 

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Psilocybin, further explained – Breaking down the compound and the high 

Again, Psilocybin is the primary compound found in psychedelic mushrooms and truffles. It’s a basic tryptamine hallucinogen with properties similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and mescaline, although the chemical structure is somewhat different. Research over the years indicates a common mechanism of action through serotonergic (5-HT) pathways. Psilocybin is a strong agonist at 5-HT receptors which are located within the thalamus and cortex of the brain.  

Swiss chemist Albert Hoffmann was the first to isolate Psilocybin back in 1958, using the Psilocybe Mexicana mushroom species from Central America. Psilocybin is found in both wild and cultivated mushrooms, although just like with cannabis, cultivated mushrooms tend to be more potent. Through cross-breeding, cultivated mushrooms can have up to 10 times higher levels of psilocybin than wild species. 

The effects kick in about 30 minutes after consumptions and last anywhere from 4 to 8 hours, with a roughly 1-hour-long peak somewhere in the middle of the trip. The threshold for intoxication for psilocybin is around 40 mcg/kg of body weight. With most strains, this is approximately 2 to 4 grams for a decent psychedelic trip, although some people do what’s known as “heroic doses” which are 7 grams or more in one sitting.  

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Psilocybin mushrooms are typically eaten dry and have a taste that many people find intolerable (I personally don’t mind it, but it’s a deal-breaker for a lot of potential shroomers). They often get mixed up with other foods to make them easier to eat. Luckily, these days you can get psilocybin in many different forms: natural from the mushrooms themselves, in extract form, in powder form in capsules, various edibles, and so on. 

My personal experiences with psilocybin mushrooms have been pretty amazing. Although I’ve had a couple trips that could be classified as “bad”, they weren’t horribly scary or overwhelming, which is a common fear for people who are thinking about trying shrooms for themselves. For me, taking low doses resulted in anxious and slightly distressing highs, whereas higher doses (to the point that I got at least a little bit of visuals) produced much more positive and introspective highs.  

A muscimol mushroom experience 

In A. muscaria, the psychoactive ingredients are muscimol and ibotenic acid. Muscimol activates the major inhibitory neurotransmitter system, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). As an inhibitory system, muscimol works by suppressing the activity of neurons in the brain.  

Muscimol chemical structure

At low doses muscimol is more similar to a dissociative drug or alcohol, rather than a psychedelic. At high doses it is said to have more psychedelic effects (some people also say it’s similar to hypnotic drugs like Ambien). Hallucinations, visuals, psychedelic sensations along with dissociative thoughts, loops, and delirium. 

Now, this is where things get a bit confusing. What is considered a “low” or “high” dose when it comes to muscimol? A quick google search will yield a range of anywhere from 5 milligrams up to 90, as the dose it takes to feel any psychoactive effects. According to a study published in Pharmacia in 2020, “Only 53 mg of muscimol were sufficient to produce psychoactive effects when ingested, while a dose of 93 mg produces a strong inebriation, including vomiting” in human volunteers.  

That said, the one time I tried muscimol (in gummies) I took 2.5 gummies over a 90-minute period and each gummy contained 350 mg of muscimol (totaling 875mg). I definitely felt a unique high that I had not experienced before, but no visuals and certainly no negative physical side effects like nausea or vomiting. For me, it was a fun yet relaxing experience, somewhat dissociative in nature, with a wonderfully warm and tingly feeling body high, and a bit of auditory enhancement. It’s something I would definitely do again, and in higher doses.  

What Happens to Your Brain When You Hallucinate?

As a matter of fact, next time I plan on taking more to reach some of the more intense levels of hypnotic/dissociative effects that many others have described. Take this Reddit user for example who details the “comforting body high, strong anxiolytic properties, insane music enhancement, the dream potentiation, the feeling of unity with nature and the ‘Amanita Hum’. The amanita hum is a humming you hear, that has this extremely natural, comforting character to it, and if you listen to music, it tunes itself to the music, which makes stuff like drone music absolutely phenomenal.” 

Now that sounds like a perfect way to spend the afternoon.  

Aside from eating dried amanita mushrooms or pre-manufactured gummies, another common way to utilize muscimol by vaping it. Some people also like to use it in combination with other psychedelics, since it is said to take the edge off and ease the anxiety that can come along with taking serotonergic drugs.  

What about ibotenic acid?  

Most people who describe negative experiences and unpleasant side effects from amanita muscaria also usually report having eating the caps, rather than some type of prepared products. This means they consumed more ibotenic acid than musicmol, which is likely the cause of their bad trip and unpleasant side effects. 

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Ibotenic acid is a neurotoxin and potent agonist of group I and group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, specifically at both the N-methyl-D-aspartate, or NMDA, and trans-ACPD receptor sites. It functions by cutting off communication between neurons across a synapse, essentially changing the way the nervous system functions, if only temporarily.  

Ibotenic acid is a secondary metabolite that converts to muscimol via decarboxylation, which is a chemical reaction that removes a carboxyl group and releases carbon dioxide (CO2), typically through the application of heat. If amanita products are prepared in a way that converts at least 70 percent (ideally more) of the ibotenic acid to muscimol, then the consumer is much less likely to experience any negative symptoms.  

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Final thoughts  

Whether you opt for classic psilocybin or trending (and legal) muscimol is up to you, but what’s great about the time we live in is that we have options. While these compounds are both psychoactive, and they both come from mushrooms, in my limited experience, the effects are very different. I enjoyed them both, but I think for more regular, day-to-day use, I would choose musicmol; but for a true psychedelic experience, I’m still going with psilocybin, hands down.

Have you tried musimol? What about psilocybin? Which one did you prefer? Join the discussion by dropping us a line in the comment section below, we love to hear from our readers!

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The post Comparing Shroom Highs – Psilocybin vs Muscimol appeared first on Cannadelics.

Everything You Need to Know About Psilocybin Mushrooms and Mushroom Drugs

November 25, 2022 Published by

Psilocybin mushrooms and other mushroom drugs are trending big time. Whether it’s a new decriminalization or a recent study to come out, we keep hearing about the many wellness benefits and increased access to shrooms. Granted, there are still no consumer products available, but the fact that laws are beginning to loosen up is a positive sign in and of itself. Scroll down to learn everything you need to know about psilocybin mushrooms.

What are Psilocybin Mushrooms? 

Psilocybin is the primary compound found in psychedelic mushrooms and truffles. It’s a basic tryptamine hallucinogen with properties similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and mescaline, although the chemical structure is somewhat different. Research over the years indicates a common mechanism of action through serotonergic (5-HT) pathways. Psilocybin is a strong agonist at 5-HT receptors which are located within the thalamus and cortex of the brain. 

One can expect the onset of hallucinogenic effects to kick in around 20 to 40 minutes after consumption, and they last up to 6 hours. Psilocybin’s threshold for intoxication is approximately 40 mcg/kg of body weight. In wild mushrooms with lower levels of psilocybin, this translates to about 2 grams, although some people use up to 4 grams for a good psychedelic trip.  

Swiss chemist Albert Hoffmann was the first to isolate Psilocybin back in 1958, using the Psilocybe Mexicana mushroom species from Central America. Psilocybin is found in both wild and cultivated mushrooms, although just like with cannabis, cultivated mushrooms tend to be more potent. Through cross-breeding, cultivated mushrooms can have up to 10 times higher levels of psilocybin than wild species.  

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Other Types of Psychedelic Mushrooms 

There are many different strains of psilocybin mushrooms, which are the more popular of the psychedelic mushroom varieties. However, another type that’s been of growing interest are Amanita muscaria. Amanita muscaria, often referred to as the fly agaric or fly amanita, is a member of the Basidiomycota family of fungi, of the genus Amanita.  

This mushroom species gets its common name from its ability to attract and kill flies and possibly, mosquitos. The fly agaric is native to the temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere including Europe, North America, and Siberia/Northern Asia. It’s a highly adaptable mushrooms species that can now be found throughout the world, and it’s closely tied to various deciduous and coniferous trees, commonly found growing under birch and pine. Amanita muscaria mushrooms have round, often dome-shaped, red caps with white spots and white gills.  

They are without a doubt one of the most recognizable of the toadstool mushroom species. You can spot Amanita muscaria mushrooms in the Mario franchise games, the Alice in Wonderland mushroom scene, and many other cartoons and animated games. Although they have many features that make them easily discernible from other mushroom varieties, there are several known subspecies of Amanita muscaria, some more potent/toxic than others.  

In classic psychedelics like psilocybin/shrooms, mescaline, and LSD, the active compounds interact with our serotonin and/or dopamine neurotransmitters, which are 5-HT2A agonists. In A. muscaria, the psychoactive ingredients are muscimol and ibotenic acid. Muscimol activates the major inhibitory neurotransmitter system, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). As an inhibitory system, muscimol works by suppressing the activity of neurons in the brain.  

What Happens to Your Brain When You Hallucinate?

Ibotenic acid is a neurotoxin and agonist of glutamate receptors, specifically at both the N-methyl-D-aspartate, or NMDA, and trans-ACPD receptor sites. Neurotoxins interrupt communication between neurons across a synapse, changing the way the nervous system functions. Ibotenic acid is a secondary metabolite that converts to muscimol via decarboxylation.  

While that may sound pretty intense, people who use these mushrooms compare the feeling to being drunk, but with a bit more of a curious and psychedelic vibe to it. The muscimol in these mushrooms can produce feelings of euphoria, hallucinations, muscle jerks, drowsiness, sweating, pupil dilation, and increased body temperature. 

Research and Legality  

In the United States, use of psychedelic mushrooms has been illegal since the Controlled Substances Act was implemented in 1970. Since then, clinical studies have pretty much ceased, but recreational use definitely has not.  

However, in 1992, the National Institute on Drug Abuse linked up with an FDA advisory team to revamp research efforts of psychedelic agents – albeit extremely limited research. In 1993, the Heffter Research Institute in New Mexico was founded. It’s one of the only institutes in the world the is entirely dedicated to uncovering the medical benefits of psychedelic compounds found in nature. Despite these developments, psilocybin is still banned in the U.S. 

Around the world, novel and alternative treatments for mental illnesses becoming increasingly sought after, new resources are being aimed at age-old therapies including cannabis, ketamine, mescaline, and psilocybin. Dr. George R. Greer, co-founder and president of the Heffter Research Institute, “Our mission is two-fold: one to do research that helps us understand the mind, the brain, how all that works, and number two, to help reduce suffering through therapeutic use of psychedelics.” 

Dosing and Fostering a Good Trip 

Defined simply, or if you look up the term in an online dictionary, a “trip” can be described as a “temporarily altered state of consciousness”. This is accurate, but an incredibly lackluster explanation for something that can be transcendental and life-changing for many people. A “temporarily altered state of consciousness” can technically be achieved through the use of any drug that produces a “high”. Even sleeping puts you in a “temporarily altered state of consciousness”.  

But psychedelic trips are different – they’re more sentient in nature. Trips can vary greatly in intensity, but they generally make you feel something. Psychedelics affect all the senses and can change a person’s thought process, and their sense of time, space and reality. They are known to produce auditory, visual, and sensory hallucinations; however, some users experience no hallucinations at all, but rather a sense of general well-being, connectivity, and euphoria. Numerous factors make tripping a very subjective experience.  

Dosing (which can range from microdoses that are less than 0.5 grams, to “heroic” doses that are 5 grams or more) and other elements can significantly impact a psychedelic trip, so you want to make sure that you’re doing everything possible to guarantee an uplifting and beneficial high.  

Good Trip Guaranteed: Common Mistakes To Avoid When Using Psychedelics

Although a psychedelic trip can be achieved via meditation, sensory-deprivation, light therapy, and a handful of other methods; the easiest and most common ways to achieve this state of mind is through the use of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic drugs, also referred to entheogens, are a subset of hallucinogens which contain compounds that can alter perception. The term entheogens come from Greek and can be roughly translated to mean “building the God within”.  

To utilize these compounds to their full potential, a few things need to be kept in mind, all of which largely have to do with a concept known in the psychonaut world as ‘set and setting’. Set refers to your state of mind, while setting describes the environment of your trip. Psychologist and author, Timothy Leary, could not emphasize it more… “set and setting are of utmost importance when it comes to having a happy and therapeutic psychedelic trip,” he says. 

Risk of Addiction and Overdose 

Psilocybin mushrooms and other mushroom drugs have a very low potential of both addiction and overdose. As a matter of fact, recent studies confirm that only 0.2% of magic mushroom users seek emergency medical care after use… the lowest of any recreational drug, including cannabis. A psilocybin “overdose”, or a bad trip rather, can lead to various psychological symptoms, the primary one being very intense panic attacks.    

One of the biggest risks to consider when eating magic mushrooms, especially if you’re foraging for them yourself, is picking the wrong type. Given that there are over 14,000 different mushroom species in the world, it’s easy to conclude that some may have very similar characteristics – making them hard to tell apart from each in real life situations. Eating a poisonous mushroom can be fatal, so that’s definitely something you’ll want to be very careful about. 

Can You Overdose on Psychedelics?

It’s also important to keep in mind the stark contrast between an overdose and a bad trip. Some people might mistake the two, but they are fundamentally different. The main difference between the two is that overdoses are physical and bad trips are mental. Overdoses can be fatal, whereas bad trips are basically just scary and confusing.  

That distinction is extremely important, because it really highlights the sheer insanity of keeping psychedelic drugs illegal. How are drugs like Oxycontin and other opioids (which kill an average of 44 people per day in the U.S.) legal with prescriptions, while psychedelics that are considerably safer remain prohibited? 

Psilocybin for Depression 

Although there are many possible uses for psilocybin, at the moment, it’s most frequently used to treat conditions relating to mental health. Depression and anxiety are among the most researched indications for psilocybin treatment.

“There’ve been some promising preliminary results in such areas such as the treatment of overwhelming depression and existential anxiety in people who are facing the end of life, who have diagnoses of advanced-stage cancer,” Dr. Charles Grob, professor of psychiatry at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, stated in an interview with Healthline. “The thing that we have the most evidence for is cancer-related depression and anxiety. That seems really strong, and I’d be surprised if those results didn’t hold up,” he added.

Another possible use for psychedelic mushrooms is in the cessation of smoking, drinking, and other possible drug addictions. In a small pilot study conducted at Johns Hopkins University, people who partook in psilocybin therapy for addiction successfully abstained from smoking cigarettes over the following 12-month period.

“The general idea is that the nature of these disorders is a narrowed mental and behavioral repertoire,” says Matthew Johnson, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences at John Hopkins. “So, in well-orchestrated sessions, there is the ability to essentially shake someone out of their routine to give a glimpse of a larger picture and create a mental plasticity with which people can step outside of those problems.”

Final Thoughts

In the coming years, we can expect to see more research and legalizations coming in the realm of psilocybin mushrooms and mushrooms drugs. Remember to subscribe to our newsletter to learn more, and to be update as soon as new products become available.

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Different Magic Mushroom Strains – Which Ones Are the Strongest? 

October 13, 2022 Published by
If you’re a cannabis consumer, you’re familiar with the topic of different strains. But when it comes to magic mushrooms, all the different strains are less frequently discussed. What are the differences between Psilocybe cubensis strains, and which ones are the strongest?

Scroll down to learn more about the most potent magic mushroom strains. And to stay current on everything important happening in the industry, as well as gain access to deals on cannabis flowers, vapes, edibles, and much more (various cannabinoids to choose from), make sure to subscribe to The Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter. Enjoy responsibly!

What exactly are “strains”? 

Strains can occur naturally or selective breeding can be used to create new strains that boost specific characteristics and effects of the plant. In biology, a “strain” refers to a subtype, genetic variant, or culture within a biological species. A group of similar strains can also form sub-species within the species. In that case, the sub-species would come before “strains” and after “species” in the scientific classification. Here’s a couple examples of the correct orders when it comes to both cannabis and mushroom types:  

CANNABIS: Kingdom (plantae) – order (rosales) – family (cannabaceae) – genus (cannabis) – species (sativa/indica/ruderalis) – possible subspecies – strain (blue dream).

MUSHROOMS: Kingdom (fungi) – division (basidiomycota) – class (agaricomycetes) – order (agaricales) – family (hymenogastraceae) – genus (psilocybe) – species (P. cubensis) – possible subspecies – strain (Penis Envy). 

Now, let’s zero in on psilocybe. Nearly all species of mushrooms within the psilocybe genus contain the psychedelic compounds psilocybin, psilocin, and baeocystin. Narrowing it down even further, the most popular species of psilocybe is cubensis. There are well over a hundred species of p. cubensis alone, and many different strains as well.  

A cube’s a cube 

Again, psilocybe cubensis mushrooms are the most sought-after magic mushroom species, so if you’ve eaten psilocybin mushrooms, but had no idea what species it was, chances are it was a cube. That’s because “cubes” are the easiest magic mushroom to cultivate indoors. In fact, due to decades of selective home breeding, there are now 60 different strains of P. cubensis (that we know of), like Golden Teachers, B+, Penis Envy Mushrooms, and Pink Buffalo. You may have heard the phrase before “a cube’s a cube”, because all the cubensis strains are psychoactive, but that’s not necessarily accurate, as potency can vary.

Different types of cubensis strains grow easily in the wild and can be found all over the globe, particularly throughout the southern US, into Mexico, Central American, and South America, but they also grow in Cuba, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia. While these can be quite potent, indoor-grown strains are known to be stronger because they’re bred for potency and cultivated in very specific conditions (certain substrates, clean environment, consistent temps and humidity, etc.).  

Magic Mushroom Spores: Legality, and Where to Buy Them

As for the medical benefits of different mushroom strains… it’s hard to say. Although some clinical trials testing the efficacy of psilocybin for mental health have emerged in recent years, the subjects in these studies actually receive synthetic psilocybin, rather than psilocybin extracted from the whole mushroom. Knowing what we know about the entourage effect, it’s safe to say that the effects of using natural, full-spectrum mushroom extract (or just eating the entire mushroom itself) could have vastly different effects than the isolated compound.  

Potent mushroom strains 

The varieties, or strains, vary in how well and how fast they grow, what conditions they prefer, their color, size, and shape, and in the quality and intensity of the experience they give to users. Psilocybin concentration does differ from one mushroom to the next, and it’s likely that each strain does have a distinctive typical potency. However, the difference is likely subtle, and there is a lot of overlap between strains due to individual variation. 

That said, let’s take a look at a handful of the more popular cube strains that shroomers are more likely to encounter:  

Penis Envy: Named for their noticeably phallic shape, Penis Envy mushrooms have grown quite a following because of their remarkable potency. I’m also partial to them because they are the first and only strain of shrooms that I’ve grown myself. As the story goes, Penis Envy mushrooms were discovered by Terence McKenna in 1971, when he found a flush of mushrooms growing on a pile of cow droppings in the Amazon.  

A small, freshly pulled Albino Penis Envy mushroom from my last flush

He brought some spore prints back home with him and the rest is history (a complicated history that we’ll save for a later time). Today, Penis Envy mushrooms are the second most searched P. cubensis strain on google, and the best-selling among spore retailers.  

Golden Teachers: Golden Teacher mushrooms are another sought-after strain that are said to be particularly easy to grow, compared to other strains that need more specific conditions and are more easily contaminated. As such, they’ve been the most widely used and cultivated magic mushroom strain for quite some time, and they’re commonly referred to as a “beginner strain” because many people try Golden Teachers for their first time shrooming.  

Liberty Caps: Liberty Caps (also known as Blue Legs, Pixie Caps, and Witches Hats) are another very common strain of P. cubensis. My first soiree into the world of magic mushrooms was with Liberty Caps many years ago, and it was a lot of fun. They grow in fields and pastures around the world and are partial to slightly colder temperatures than other strains.  

Liberty Caps have one of the most extensive and colorful histories among shroom varieties. They were documented for the first time in 1799, after a family picking mushrooms in a London Park accidentally ate them for dinner and began experiencing symptoms of the psilocybin. Local chemist Augustus Everard Brande wrote about the family’s experience in an article titled “On A Poisonous Species of Agaric”, that was published the London Medical and Physical Journal.    

Psilocybe: The Mother of All Magic Mushrooms

Final thoughts

Although there might not always be a huge difference between strains, there are some variations that are noticeable enough that people are still able to develop preferences. I’m partial to Penis Envy mushrooms, mainly because I’ve grown quite familiar with them and I enjoy the effects, whereas other mushrooms I’ve tried sometimes didn’t do much of anything at all. It’s hard to say what or if there are any therapeutic advantages to using certain magic mushroom strains, but more research on natural, whole-mushroom medicine will one day help us to make sense of it all.

Do you have a favorite shroom strain? Is it your preferred strain to grow, consume, or both? Drop us a line in the comment section below, we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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The post Different Magic Mushroom Strains – Which Ones Are the Strongest?  appeared first on Cannadelics.