What's so Exciting about Psilocybin?

Psilocybin is a taboo subject for many people. Within the UK it’s a class A, illegal drug. However, there’s been a push by various groups and members of the scientific community to reassess the status of psilocybin and the magic mushrooms this substance originates from. But why would the scientific community want to legalize a Class A drug?

Class A drugs within the UK include other drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, crystal meth and LSD. This is a class of all the biggest and baddest drugs on the (illegal) market. So, if Magic Mushrooms are comparable to cocaine, surely, they’re just as dangerous, if not worse?

If we take cocaine as an example of a serious Class A drug and compare it to psilocybin, you’d be surprised at how far apart these two substances really are. Regular users of Cocaine have been found to have a significantly higher rate of death and are at higher risk of traumatic deaths than the average Joe. The regular use of this drug can lead to serious heart conditions, seizures, movement disorders, comas, and sudden death. This is sobering information, and something you’d expect from a Class A drug.

Psilocybin can cause a wide range of effects too, including euphoria, visual and mental hallucinations, changes in perception, distorted sense of time, nausea, panic attacks and perceived spiritual experiences. This pales in comparison to the physical affects noted in other Class A drugs. Overdosing is incredibly rare with Magic Mushrooms, and death is incredibly unlikely. The jury’s still out on whether anyone has overdosed on psilocybin itself. A 2016 survey reported that out of more than 12,000 users who took psilocybin, only 0.2% reported requiring emergency medicinal treatment. This is five times lower than cocaine.

Because of these differences alone, there have been calls to change the classification of this substance. But if you peel the layers back further, there’s an even more compelling reason as to why. From Alexander Fleming’s Penicillium rubens and its antibacterial properties, to the modern-day use of mycelium in the place of unsustainable materials, mushrooms already have so many uses. This is one of the reasons scientists are discussing changing the harsh sentencing psilocybin has had thus far.

We can see from the reported emotional and mental effects of psilocybin, that generally it’s a pleasant and eye-opening experience. Even a bad trip can make you retrospective and find what’s making you unhappy so you can improve your overall wellbeing. There is a mental health epidemic. It’s incredibly apparent that our current treatments are failing us. Science tells us that the verified medications we’re taking to treat our mental health disorders are no longer working. In a world where anti-depressants are failing countless people, why not explore this new alternative?

There are so many studies revolving around psilocybin and its potential benefits to us. Alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety, and PTSD are some of the few conditions being treated with psilocybin within a multitude of studies. Just the other day I saw an advert calling for participants for treatment-resistant depression with the use of psilocybin within a trial.

Even looking away from science and its promising findings, you can see a sudden surge of news articles reporting on an increase in microdosing and its reported positive effects. Mums within the UK are taking it upon themselves to self-medicate with minute amounts of psilocybin to get through their day. Other sources have reported that one in 100 people in England and Wales have taken hallucinogenic drugs within the last year (including magic mushrooms), whilst the use of other drugs such as ecstasy and nitrous oxide have fallen.

Although the jury’s still out on determining once and for all if psilocybin has any concrete mental health benefits, the studies are promising. Even when people report no positive effects within studies, the negative effects are often momentary and pale in comparison to other drugs.

So why are magic mushrooms still a Class A drug? With all this positive press about, you’d think we’d already have it on the shelves in a convenient pill form. Well, it’s less straightforward than this. There are undoubtedly benefits to consuming psilocybin, but as always, extensive testing needs to follow. We don’t know the long-term effects of psilocybin use, nor contraindications it poses when used with other drugs.

Furthermore, there has been much criticism of the UK government and their lack of enthusiasm on the subject. In a 2023 debate, they mentioned a lack of Government commissioned reports published surrounding the analysis and potential harms of psilocybin. This led to them dismissing the debate and concluding that psilocybin remains on the Class A listed drugs list as it has no current use in mental health treatments. This lack of drive will undoubtedly set us back in the race to prove psilocybin has a place in our world with their positive uses.

This old mindset of psilocybin being a negative and harmful drug needs to be broken down so we can adapt its proposed uses to benefit us. Mental health is declining as a nation, and we’re in a mental health crisis. This proposed therapy has the power to prevent the suffering of so many people with treatment resistant conditions. By breaking down this barrier and fully exploring the proposed benefits of psilocybin, we could change so many lives for the better.

People who are affected by depression, anxiety and so much more who feel they could benefit strongly from the legalization of Psilocybin for medical use have found several ways to effectively speak out for change. Anyone interested in this could follow in their footsteps and write to their local MP asking for change (https://members.parliment.uk/FindYourMP) . Alternatively, if you’re interested in getting involved in the few studies going on, you can check out the following helpful links.

Home | Drug Science

https://psychedelicsociety.org.uk

Disclaimer

It’s important to note that although the evidence is overwhelmingly positive, and the negative effects minimal, to stick to the current UK laws and legislation. It is illegal to grow and consume magic mushroom spores. This is why we sell our spores for scientific study purposes only, to be viewed from under the microscope. We do not recommend or condone the illegal use of our spores in any way. If you fancy growing mushrooms, why not try Gourmet Health Mushrooms like Lions Mane or Turkey Tail?

We do not condone the use of any class A drug, including psilocybin and strongly recommend against growing magic mushrooms as this is illegal. Please see the above sources if you’re interested in the current scientific studies surrounding psilocybin.