Taking magic mushrooms has been prohibited in almost all US states until 2019, when the state of Colorado made the first steps towards decriminalizing the hallucinogenic products. Although there are still many struggles and pressures to legalize the drug, resistance is great, and to date only three states have developed clear legislation that permits the ownership and use of Psilocybin cubensis mushrooms.
Why Are They Illegal in the First Place?
Psilocybin cubensis is a type of hallucinogenic mushroom that has been deemed illegal for many years. Because of its strong hallucinogenic effects, it is considered to be a dangerous drug that temporarily impairs the cognitive abilities of those who take it. The general stereotype associated to the mushrooms today is that they are a “dangerous” drug that has to be avoided.
Despite all of this, magic mushrooms like Psilocybin cubensis have a lot of important medical benefits as well. Recent studies have shown that they are effective in the fight against depression, and can also be potent against sleep disorders, mood swings and even some forms of advanced cancer.
Of course, scientists are only just discovering the amazing healing potential that these golden teachers mushrooms could have. Before the past 20 years, most people only knew that the mushrooms can cause profuse sweating, sleep problems, increased pulse and blood pressure, uncoordinated movements, cognitive and sensory problems and, of course, hallucinations – which they are famous for.
As such, similarly to marijuana and LSD, there are very few legal loopholes that will allow you to even own pilocybin mushrooms like the popular cubensis species. One of them is their official and regulated study as part of medical programs designed to tap into the mushrooms’ healing capabilities. Aside from that, anyone caught owning or consuming the mushrooms in states where they are illegal can face charges and end up with financial penalties of up to $5 million and harsh sentences reaching up to 20 years in jail.
The Legality of Psilocybin Cubensis Mushrooms
Also known as the “Golden Teacher,” Psilocybin cubensis is one of the most popular types of mushrooms currently used in the USA. Although just as illegal in many places as all other species, these mushrooms are used more frequently, and you’ll find them if you travel to the southeastern United States as well as parts of Central and Northern South America. Although the mushroom grows in all of these places as well as in parts of Southeast Asia, it is seldom used legally, since all but a few countries and states have decriminalized it.
Magic mushrooms in general are legal to own in the states of Colorado and Oregon, as well as in the Santa Cruz area of California. Throughout the world, the mushrooms are also legal in Brazil, the Netherlands, Jamaica and Vietnam.
An important mention has to be made about mushroom spores, including those belonging to the Psilocybin cubensis species. Spores are legal to own and carry around in most places, right up until they germinate – when they automatically become illegal. Because the spores don’t contain the notorious psilocybin substance, there is no restriction against their ownership, since they are incapable of creating the same hallucinogenic effects that a grown mushrooms could induce.