Magic Mushroom Dispensary Canada Could Be Decriminalized

A new illegal mushroom dispensary near me has opened in Kitchener, selling the naturally-occurring hallucinogenic drug psilocybin. The store, called Fun Guyz, opened on Friday and has already drawn a handful of eager customers. It’s one of dozens to open across the country in response to a growing demand for mushrooms containing psilocybin, which can be used as a medicine to treat depression or anxiety. It’s also commonly used for spiritual or religious purposes. But despite their popularity, the drugs are still banned in Canada, classified as Schedule III drugs under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. As a result, it’s illegal to grow, purchase or sell the substances in public places.

Regulation and Responsibility: How Canadian Magic Mushroom Dispensaries Operate

But a series of policy shifts has sparked hope among psychedelic enthusiasts that they could soon see the same decriminalization process as cannabis. A federal government review in 2022 found psilocybin isn’t linked to addiction and could even be beneficial for mental health. And provincial governments have relaxed possession rules for the drug, allowing residents to buy it legally in some provinces.

The Toronto city council has asked Health Canada to relax laws governing the possession and sale of magic mushrooms, but the agency hasn’t done so yet. The move would give city officials the power to regulate and oversee psilocybin stores like Fun Guyz. City councillor Paula Lloyd says adding them to the medicinal cannabis bylaw the city adopted in 2015 is a “simple and elegant” solution that wouldn’t require any zoning considerations.