The Canada Shrooms in magic mushrooms (also called shrooms) causes you to see, hear and feel things that are not real – a phenomenon known as hallucinations. Magic mushrooms contain chemicals that can have both positive and negative effects, and can be ingested in different ways: eaten fresh or dried, smoked or brewed into tea, or sprinkled onto food. They can also be injected with a needle or snorted into the nose or mouth. In Canada, psilocybin is a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, meaning you can only legally purchase it in clinical trials or by getting special access from your doctor.

It’s illegal to grow, sell or possess mushrooms in Canada. But that hasn’t stopped people from buying them online and having them delivered to their front door, where they can avoid the hassle of going out in public. It’s a trend that echoes the legalization of cannabis.

Psychedelic Explorations: The Current Status of Shrooms in Canada

As cannabis has become more mainstream and widely available, psychedelic mushrooms are still in legal limbo in Canada. Last week, Vancouver police raided three stores that openly sell fungi containing the psychoactive compound psilocybin. The shops, with names like Fun Guyz and Shroomyz, have been popping up in cities across the country and defying strict drug laws.

Thomas Hartle, a cancer survivor who received a federal exemption to use psilocybin to ease his end-of-life anxiety, says the government has closed off all avenues for legal access even as an underground market thrives. Hartle is now partnering with TheraPsil, a B.C. nonprofit that helps people apply for exemptions to use psilocybin as therapy, and plans to train doctors in the practice.