A new retail operation adds a psychedelic vibe to Osborne Village. The shop sells magic mushrooms, psilocybin and other hallucinogens. It’s one of a wave of shops that’ve sprung up across Canada challenging the country’s antiquated drug laws.
While cannabis has become increasingly legal, psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics remain illegal under federal and provincial drug laws. But a black market is thriving for the hallucinogens, and stores like Magic Mushroom have opened up to serve it. More info
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The store’s owners say they hope police and regulators will treat it the same way as they do cannabis. They’ve openly defied law enforcement in the past, and they’re not afraid to take on the risk of being caught. Shops like this have popped up in cities and towns around the country including Vancouver, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto and others. They’ve also been raided by police, but the owners say they haven’t been ticketed.
CBC Manitoba reporter Josh Crabb visited the Magic Mushroom shop and tried some mushroom-infused drinks, including a relaxing chamomile tea, a green tea honey and a fruity acai blueberry. The store sells a range of sizes, colors and strains of mushrooms including Penis Envy, Daddy Long Legs and Wollygong.
A growing body of research suggests that the mind-altering fungi can have therapeutic benefits. But the drugs are still illegal in Canada and many states in the U.S. A bill in California is gaining support that would make it more legal to buy and possess psilocybin mushrooms.
