A closer look at smoke shop “psilocybin,” Amanitas, and what you’re actually taking
If your online algorithms are anything like mine, or you frequent your local smoke or vape shop, you’ve probably seen a surge of “mushroom gummies” over the last few years and wondered: Are these legit? Are mushroom gummies safe?
There’s a lot to this topic, and I’ll do my best to cover all the most important points.
I’ll discuss why we’re seeing so many of these products coming to market, their different types and contents, and some examples to look out for. Finally, I’ll cover some best practices for staying safe in this rapidly shifting psychedelic ecosystem.
Note: These products are not only coming out as gummies. They are often found in chocolate and other forms as well.
Why are so many Mushroom Gummy Products Appearing on the Market?
First, a couple of background points:
- Traditional “Magic Mushrooms” are fungi that naturally produce psilocybin & psilocin, which are psychoactive compounds that create a psychedelic experience when consumed.
- Although the landscape is changing, in most of the modern world, psilocybin & psilocin are illegal to possess or produce.
So why are these mushroom gummies popping up everywhere?
Like most products in this capitalist landscape, it’s a matter of supply and demand.
Psilocybin mushrooms have recently been gaining popularity as their wide range of benefits continue to come to light.
This means more people curious to try these illegal fungi are looking for sources and information.
Enter the opportunists.
Like sharks smelling blood in the water, they move in quickly to capitalize on those who don’t know any better. They rely on the hype, scarcity of access, and lack of information to profit off people interested in trying mushrooms.
These products they’re creating don’t contain any psilocybin or psilocin. They often even say so directly on the package, on the back, in small print… Many people won’t see it, or might not know any better, even if they did. (“What the heck is psilocybin?”)
What are the Substances in these Mushroom Gummies? Are they Safe to Consume?
The reality is, in many cases, it’s impossible to know what substances these products contain. This alone makes most mushroom gummies unsafe by default.
However, in an attempt to prove their validity, these companies will often provide professional-looking lab results that may not be legitimate and can contain misinformation.
They produce these test results to protect themselves legally and to convince skeptical buyers that the products are safe because they DON’T contain substances X, Y, and Z. However, they still rarely explicitly state what substances they do contain.
So… what DO they contain?
Mushroom Supplements
Beneficial, non-psychoactive mushroom supplements are also gaining popularity.
These include Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, and Reishi, to name a few.
Once again, these mushrooms are not psychoactive and do not produce any high. They have been shown to provide various health benefits, but expanding the mind through a psychedelic experience is certainly not one of them.
The businesses producing these products as health supplements aren’t the ones you need to worry about. They’re in a totally different industry, are typically transparent about what their products contain, and genuinely believe in the benefits of these fungi. I’m a big proponent of these mushroom supplements myself and use them regularly.
However, I’ve also seen some of the previously mentioned smoke shop gummy companies adding these supplemental mushroom species to their products. I believe this is done so they can justify calling them “mushroom gummies” when they otherwise wouldn’t contain any mushrooms.
Basically, they’re only using these ingredients so they can say: “Well… technically, they contain mushrooms.”
We all know that’s not their target market, and that their customers aren’t buying their gummies for the subconscious health benefits of the added mushroom supplements.
This tactic, in my opinion, just further highlights the illegitimacy of these products and companies.
The easiest way to tell the difference between these two types of products is to see whether they are marketed as producing a high. If it feels like something that would be sold at a smoke shop, then any added supplements are probably just a gimmick.
In general, just make sure you know which species of mushroom you’re actually looking for and what its proposed effects are. There are thousands of species, some of which could kill you, some cure you, and everything in between.
The Mario Mushroom: Amanita Muscaria, Ibotenic Acid, and Muscimol
Psilocybe cubensis is the primary species of traditional psilocybin magic mushrooms we’ve been discussing. Amanita muscaria, or fly agaric mushrooms, are not only a different species, but a whole separate genus. They look like your classic “Mario Mushroom” with bright red caps covered in white dots.
They do contain psychoactive compounds, but they’re completely different from psilocybin/psilocin.
Ibotenic acid and muscimol are their names. They act on very different receptors in your body than psilocybin/psilocin. They’re not even remotely related.
Because Amanita muscaria and its active substances are still legal, this industry has jumped all over them.
Reports of their effects vary widely.
Some will claim that they give a psychedelic trippy experience, others say that they just make you feel drunk and nauseous, and others claim they have various medicinal benefits when taken in small microdoses.
This mushroom has its own mysterious, ancient history of human use, as do many active compounds. But that still doesn’t automatically mean it’s safe or worthwhile to consume. People also starved themselves, elected to receive lashes, and performed many other self-harming austerities for the chance to achieve an altered state or high.
The general consensus among the reports I’ve read is that the Amanita muscaria experience is often unpleasant and not worth it.
I’ll let you research and make your own decisions, but here are a few points to note:
- These mushrooms are toxic if eaten fresh, and there are lengthy and specific procedures to make them “safe” for consumption.
- Ibotenic acid is a powerful neurotoxin and has been used as a “brain-lesioning agent” in studies with rats.
- Their colloquial name ‘fly agaric’ comes from their use as an insecticide to kill flies.
- The Amanita genus also contains some of the deadliest species of mushrooms known to man, such as the destroying angel.
The important point is that once again, these companies are preying on people’s ignorance of this kind of information.
Suffice it to say, these are most likely not the mushrooms you’re looking for.
Legal Tryptamines and Research Chemicals
As mentioned, psilocybin and psilocin are the active compounds in magic mushrooms. They are a type of molecule called tryptamines. Similar to the new forms of THC being discovered that I discussed above, many other tryptamines have been found as well.
Many of these substances are not popular enough to have been made illegal yet. They will certainly have a more similar effect profile to that of actual psilocybin mushrooms, as they are from the same class of molecules.
However, the companies that use them still don’t usually tell you specifically which tryptamine(s) they are using, instead making vague statements like “a proprietary legal tryptamine”.
There are also other classes of psychoactive/psychedelic compounds beyond tryptamines. Collectively, these substances are known as “Research Chemicals”.
Although psilocybin and psilocin have been shown to have almost zero toxicity, the same level of research has not been done on these new compounds. Some, such as the NBOMes, a subclass of phenethylamines, have been found to be dangerous at the wrong dose.
It is never safe to ingest unknown substances, and this creates even more of the same issues with safety and education of substance consumption that using THC in these products does.
Legal Forms of THC
Delta 9 THC is the primary active ingredient in marijuana, which is a Schedule I substance. However, many other new forms of THC have recently been discovered and have thus far slipped through the cracks of federal law.
There are many, but Delta 8 THC is probably the most popular. (Although it will soon be classified as Schedule I following its rise in popularity)
These substances will certainly produce a high in users, but not a psilocybin mushroom high. However, the larger doses of cannabinoids commonly found in edibles can feel like a unique experience.
To the uninitiated, it would be impossible to tell the difference. This creates a serious problem for harm reduction and warps people’s perceptions of which drugs cause what effects, which then contributes to the spreading of misinformation.
Anything Else?
I’ve also seen companies use and combine other substances that could simply produce a light, relaxing effect as well, such as melatonin, L-Theanine, kratom, kava, etc.
The possibilities are endless, and research is essential to determining whether mushroom gummies, or any psychoactive product, are safe for consumption.
One thing is certain: these products will almost never contain real psilocybin/psilocin. It’s simply too risky for most to include these illegal substances in a product that is advertised openly online or in stores.
So don’t fall for the hype or convenience of picking up some “shrooms” at the corner store. If it’s too good to be true, it usually is. Always be sure you know exactly what you’re putting into your body, and do more research than you think you need to.
And simply trusting the lab test results these companies provide for their products is not enough on its own.
Examples of Mushroom Gummies that are Not Safe
First up, we have Koi’s Muscimind Mushroom Gummies, but I could have picked one at random. They all employ the same tactics that I already discussed above.
This one in particular claims to contain “2 mg muscimol and 30mg proprietary nootropic blend per gummy”.
It also includes a link to test results from a third-party company that aims to show the products don’t contain psilocybin or other tryptamines.
Here’s where the lying begins. I’ve included a screenshot of the results below for reference.
First, you’ll see that the only compound this product is positive for is muscimol, one of the active compounds from Amanita muscaria I mentioned above. However, it doesn’t mention anything about the other active ingredients in their “proprietary nootropic blend”.
On the test results, they classify muscimol as a tryptamine. This is just incorrect. Muscimol is not a tryptamine. It is an isoxazole.
Test results like these primarily aim to convince the consumer that the mushroom gummies are safe, but rarely provide any useful information for determining this.
Hiding Ingredients
Furthermore, if you look closely at the ingredients list on the back of the packaging or on the bottom of their webpage, you’ll see that Mimosa hostilis bark is the first ingredient.
Mimosa hostilis is a completely different psychoactive PLANT (not a mushroom). Its bark contains DMT and is often used as an ingredient in the ancient shamanic medicine preparation of Ayahuasca.
DMT is a tryptamine like psilocybin, but is a completely different compound nonetheless, and is also a Schedule I substance. Mimosa hostilis bark is legal even though it contains DMT, but it must be combined with other specific plants to become orally active.
There’s a lot to this, but I couldn’t believe it when I read the ingredients. Even if the DMT in this bark is active, combining it with muscimol, and who knows what else, is crazy. This makes it impossible to even begin identifying which ingredient causes which effects.
And that’s without mentioning all the other active ingredients: Lion’s Mane, L-Tryptophan, Rhodiola, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3
So many bad practices are employed in these products. “A proprietary nootropic mushroom blend” might as well say “a mystery kitchen drug concoction”.
Additional examples can be found on this smoke shop’s web store page.
I hate linking to these sites, as I don’t support this deceptive business model, but it is illustrative of what you’ll find in the wild.
Safety and Harm Reduction Considerations for Deciding if Mushroom Gummies are Safe
First, consuming any unknown psychoactive substance greatly increases the risk of causing harm to yourself or others.
Knowing the right dose is also vitally important. Plus or minus 10mg could mean the difference between a light experience and a trip to the nether regions of the human psyche, depending on the substance.
Research is essential. The more you can learn, the better.
As I’ve already mentioned, from what I’ve seen, many of these companies are not very forthcoming about what specific compounds their products contain, let alone the exact dosages.
In my opinion, no company should make it difficult to find what their products contain in the first place, and if they do, that’s already a red flag. It’s not worth your time or effort to give them a chance.
Be safe, be smart, again, do your research, and don’t give in to the hype. It’s better to wait and be sure you know what you’re consuming rather than be hasty and take the risk. There are safer and surer ways to acquire psilocybin mushrooms, and it’s worth the extra effort to know that what you paid for is what you’re getting.
What you gain from patience, certainty, and preparation will far outweigh any immediate gratification in the long run. You’ll also avoid contributing to the spread of misinformation, which is becoming a major epidemic.
Misleading the Uneducated
For those who have never experienced psilocybin before, using one of these products can severely lead them astray.
If they consume one with THC, they may think that the effects of psilocybin mushrooms are similar to those of marijuana. If it’s something else that’s even less psychoactive, they may be outright underwhelmed and disappointed in the effects of “shrooms”. And if it’s a research chemical or legal tryptamine, the effects may be potent but are still not representative of actual psilocybin/psilocin.
In addition, even if, by some act of God, one did end up getting genuine psilocybin in a product without knowing the dosage, they wouldn’t be able to establish a reference point for determining an appropriate dosage for future sessions.
They will then spread the story of their unknowingly false experience and create a ripple effect of misinformation. This is one of the biggest reasons I am against these products. More inaccuracy and confusion are the last things society needs.
If you give the creators of these products a good-faith assumption, you open yourself up to being misled. That’s not to suggest you should default to distrust, but to always use discernment and not take things at face value.
So, are Mushroom Gummies Safe?
I think you know where I stand at this point.
In my opinion, no. The majority of “mushroom” gummies being sold in smoke shops and online are not safe.
Without being 100% sure of what’s in them, it’s just not worth the risk.
There are safer and guaranteed methods to experience genuine psilocybin, such as learning how to cultivate your own mushrooms from scratch if you live somewhere it’s legal to do so.
I can’t officially condone the seeking out of illegal substances. But I also know that people are going to do it anyway. Knowing this, it’s my goal to provide all the resources they need to make safe, informed decisions.
Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Stay safe, and journey wisely.
Let me know your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below, or by sending an email to Jordan@jolaevolution.com. I’m always open to starting additional dialogue. Have you tried any of these newly emerging mushroom products? If so, how was your experience?