The tiny storefront at 1121 Howard St. in San Francisco’s Mission district might not be what most people expect to find behind its rainbow-hued façade, but the place is a hit: When I visited this month, the storefront was bustling with returning customers. Inside, a nurse helps customers navigate the options and recommends products that might suit their needs, including microdosing capsules for beginners, whole mushrooms, gummies and edibles.

The business is called Zide Door, and it’s part of a growing movement that aims to make legal access to magic mushroom dispensary easier than ever. Many of the same tactics used by cannabis shops are being applied to psilocybin, with trips arranged through an online booking system and monitored by trip sitters to provide safety and support. During a typical experience, a person will take a low dose of psychedelic mushrooms and be encouraged to interact with their environment and seek out new experiences to help them overcome fear or anxiety.

The Legal Landscape: Where Can You Find Magic Mushroom Dispensaries

While all hallucinogens have risks, psilocybin is among the safest recreational drugs available, with lower rates of emergency medical treatment than MDMA, cocaine, tobacco and alcohol. But the drug can trigger mental or emotional reactions and should never be taken in combination with a substance that increases serotonin levels, such as antidepressants or certain medications.

In Canada, the first mushroom dispensaries opened in 2019, following in the footsteps of Denver and Oakland in the US. They’re attracting young entrepreneurs who see an opportunity to bring their brand of “psychedelic convenience” to a market that’s still grappling with the stigma and regulation of cannabis.