Local Mushroom Stores
A chain of magic mushroom dispensaries is expanding to London, Ontario, testing the local Toronto police . These stores, labelled as ‘medical mushroom dispensaries,’ have additional locations across Ontario, including Toronto and Barrie.
City bylaws can shut down shroom dispensaries, as business licenses must comply with municipal, provincial, and federal government laws. Despite this, many magic mushroom shops plan to continue operating to provide psilocybin for medical use.
The legal status of magic mushrooms in Canada is complex and varies by province:
- Toronto
Despite the federal ban, Toronto has seen the emergence of magic mushroom dispensaries. Dispensaries in legal gray areas commonly cite the medical benefits of psilocybin for mental health issues like depression and PTSD.
- Vancouver
Vancouver is at the forefront of the psychedelic movement in Canada. The city has several dispensaries openly selling magic mushrooms, and local authorities like the Vancouver police
have shown leniency towards these operations. Police largely focused on heavy narcotics that can lead to overdose deaths. This reflects a broader acceptance and recognition of the potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin.
- Montreal
While Montreal has not seen the same level of dispensary proliferation as Vancouver or Toronto, there is a growing interest in psychedelics. Despite authorities labelling them as illegal dispensaries, the city hosts various underground networks and events that promote the safe use of psychedelic mushrooms.
The push towards legalization is gaining momentum, driven by a medical protest from
advocacy groups and emerging research highlighting the medical benefits of psilocybin. These groups are hoping for shrooms to move to a legal status like recreational and medical cannabis. Yet, the legal status remains controversial, with ongoing debates and potential changes.
Legal Status and News
In Canada, psychedelics like magic mushrooms are under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. You can only legally access through the Section 56 exemption from Health Canada or through the Special Access Program (SAP).
The SAP allows healthcare practitioners to request access to unapproved or illegal drugs for patients with serious conditions when conventional remedies have failed, are unsuitable, or are unavailable.
Clinical trials also provide a legal avenue for accessing psychedelics. Otherwise, the production, sale, and possession of shrooms are illegal in Canada, with no approved therapeutic products containing psilocybin available.
Toronto’s first psilocybin store faced legal issues after a raid led to charges of trafficking. Despite this, the store continues to operate, and similar businesses have opened, offering mushroom-infused products.
Provinces like Alberta and Quebec are taking steps towards legalization, with Alberta allowing ketamine therapy and Quebec covering the costs of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. In British Columbia, a federal exemption decriminalizes small amounts of an illegal substance s, although psilocybin is not included.
New psychedelic shops are appearing, commonly branding themselves as medical dispensaries to reduce stigma and push for legal reforms. These stores emphasize the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. They promote products like microdosing capsules and mushroom-infused edibles.