A magic mushroom dispensary adds a psychedelic vibe to a neighbourhood in Winnipeg, attracting regular customers and drawing the attention of police. CBC’s Josh Crabb reports.Source: magicmushroomsdispensary.ca
Psychedelic Pathfinders: Navigating Magic Mushroom Dispensaries
The store, called Magic Mush, opened on May 13, with a minimal interior and minimalist art featuring mushrooms. The owners, who also operate stores in Ottawa and Toronto, are hoping to have the same response from Winnipeg police that they’ve had in those cities: a police presence to ensure the product is sold safely and only to adults.
Inside, Darren Lyman explains the different psychedelic mushrooms he sells: a brown cap with a knot in the center called Knibby Tops; the blue-streaked Penis Envy, which is his personal favourite; and the pink-streaked Psilocybin Heaven, which is meant to have more of an intoxicating effect. He charges $30 per session, which includes a discussion about the intoxicating effects of the mushrooms and their potential for helping people with depression, anxiety, addiction and other mental ailments.
He’s operating legally, following a law passed in 2022 in Colorado that decriminalized some psychedelic mushrooms and made medical psilocybin available. But he’s still a little brazen, openly advertising in Westword and accepting phone calls from people who want to buy mushrooms.
Other illegal shops are popping up across Canada, including Shroomyz and Fun Guyz, after subtle policy changes in recent years allowed them to bypass the federal drug laws. The trend mirrors the early days of cannabis retail, when it was difficult to find legal pot but there were plenty of illegal dispensaries churning out buds and edibles.
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