It’s no secret that magic mushrooms have a dicey history with the law in the United States. There’s a certain stigma that surrounds the discussion of psilocybin mushrooms. This is mostly based on the fact that they are illegal to consume in the U.S. During the hippie craze of the 1960s and 1970s, magic mushrooms were banned from recreational and medical use. Because of their illegal status, some stereotypical views about magic mushrooms and those who use them persist. However, in recent years, some of the stigma surrounding psilocybin mushrooms has actually died down. This is mainly due to research that suggests that there are a host of health benefits to consuming magic mushrooms.
So, you might be wondering: where are mushrooms legal in the U.S.? You’re probably also curious about whether or not shrooms are legal at all. Maybe you’ve heard a bit about the debate between decriminalization vs legalization. In this article, we’ll cover all of these topics and more. For everything you need to know about where shrooms are legal in the U.S., read along.
Are Shrooms Legal?
So, where are mushrooms legal in the U.S.? On a federal level, magic mushrooms have been technically illegal since 1965 in the United States. However, the law passed in 1965 did not name psilocybin mushrooms and instead banned all hallucinogenic drugs without specifying them. Even so, many people were exempt from prosecution until 1968. That year, it was codified in the law that psilocybin specifically was a Schedule I drug, said to have a “high potential for abuse.” Currently, magic mushrooms are illegal in almost every state except for two. Shrooms have very recently become legal for adult use in Oregon, and they are also decriminalized in Colorado. Select jurisdictions throughout the country have voted to decriminalize magic mushrooms, including:
- Washington D.C.
- Seattle, Washington
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Detroit, Michigan
- Salem, Massachusetts
- Somerville, Massachusetts
- Oakland, California
- Santa Cruz, California
Decriminalization vs Legalization of Magic Mushrooms
If you’re not familiar with the terms, decriminalization vs legalization is a huge deal when it comes to mushrooms in the U.S. You might have heard of these words in relation to marijuana as well. So what is decriminalization vs legalization? To put it simply, decriminalization makes it so that a person cannot be prosecuted for possessing magic mushrooms. Now you might be confused. Wouldn’t decriminalizing magic mushrooms be pretty much the same as legalizing them in that case? Actually, it’s a little more complicated than that. With decriminalization, if a person were to get caught with the substance, there might still be a penalty. If you were to be penalized for possession of shrooms, it would likely be a civil fine or drug treatment and education.
Legalizing magic mushrooms would take away any existing prohibitions against the act of possessing or consuming them. And the legalization of a substance like psilocybin or marijuana also allows people to sell them for profit. Typically, the sale of these sorts of substances will be regulated by the government. And with substances such as marijuana or psilocybin, there may still be restrictions even with legalization. For instance, one must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol in the United States. The same goes for marijuana in the states and jurisdictions where it’s legal. We see this same age restriction in Oregon with magic mushrooms. So, now you know where mushrooms are legal in the U.S.
Psilocybe Cubensis Spores
Psilocybe cubensis, also known as golden cap mushrooms, are one of the most popular types of magic mushrooms out there. Golden cap mushrooms are native to the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the West Indies. This is typically what you picture when you think of magic mushrooms. It is the most referenced psilocybin mushroom in media like television and movies. Even the shrooms that you see in paintings or on t-shirts are usually golden cap mushrooms. This type of mushroom is so popular mainly because it’s easy to grow. With the history of magic mushrooms being what it is, people got used to growing these fungi in less-than-ideal conditions. Usually, this meant that people had to grow them indoors. Plus, being easy to grow also means that they’re great for beginners who are new to growing spores. Some of the more popular golden cap mushroom strains are:
- Golden Teacher
- Penis Envy
- Camodian
- B+
- Tidal Wave
- Jack Frost
Potential Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
While the research is still being developed at this time, some promising studies suggest that shrooms may have health benefits. This opposes the 1968 law classifying them as a Schedule I drug with no health benefits. It’s still too early to determine any long-term health benefits or drawbacks to taking shrooms. But the evidence we have suggests that microdosing magic mushrooms could actually help people struggling with a myriad of illnesses. This includes depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. But it doesn’t just seem to help with mental health issues. The research also points to psilocybin being a way to treat Lyme disease, cluster headaches, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and even more.
How to Grow Psilocybe Cubensis Spores
Psilocybe cubensis spores are the actual things that grow into magic mushrooms. However, it is currently illegal to grow these spores into mushrooms for anything other than scientific purposes. Still, the spores can be fascinating to study for those interested. This is why we at Top Mushroom Spores deliver spores directly to you in our contaminant-free spore syringes. We believe that microscopy research of these spores is incredibly important. Microscopy research of mushroom spores is simply the process of studying the spores under a microscope. With our contaminant-free syringes, we guarantee that your research can be conducted with the highest quality spores available.
For information about psilocybe cubensis spores, decriminalization vs legalization of mushrooms, or anything related to these topics, visit our website. You can also find the best quality mushroom spores for great prices online too. Take a look at our inventory if you’ve been wanting to use mushroom spores for microscopy or taxonomy.