Why should you try magic mushrooms at least once in a lifetime?
In last march psychedelic mushrooms were officially decriminalized for the residents of the nation’s capital, by the Initiative 81. But what does this mean exactly?
The Entheogenic Plants and Fungus Policy Act of 2020, makes certain psychedelic drug crimes the “lowest enforcement priority” of the District’s Metropolitan Police Department.
The battle to get Initiative 81 on D.C. ballots was spearheaded by spokesperson Melissa Lavasani, who said she knows firsthand how much of a difference access to these mushrooms can make. She suffered with depression after both of her pregnancies. After she had her son in 2017, she said she tried every home remedy, and nothing worked, till he decided to sample a mushroom and it made all the difference.
And here is how it can benefit you too
This is our guide to magic mushrooms, for those looking to experience what they have to offer.
The term magic mushrooms is a generic term that includes any mushroom that contains psilocybin, a chemical compound that, when digested and transformed into psilocin, produces psychedelic experiences and an altered state of consciousness. Among the psilocybe mushrooms, also known as hallucinogenic mushrooms, that are commonly sold in the United States, are those of the species Psilocybe semilanceata, found throughout North America and Europe, and the Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms, scientifically described for the first time in Cuba, and that they are native to much of South and Central America.
Psilocybin mushrooms have been used by human societies for thousands of years, and appear in prehistoric art in Europe and Mesoamerica. The use of hallucinogenic mushrooms in the United States was partially eliminated by Catholic missionaries during the Spanish conquest, but they continued to be used in ceremonies throughout the world.
Magic mushrooms are among the safest recreational drugs, based on the rates of medical treatment received for their use. Mushrooms are safer than MDMA, tobacco, cocaine, alcohol, and marijuana. Possible side effects include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, lack of coordination, and increased blood pressure. The toxicity is very low, making it practically impossible to overdose on mushrooms
The benefits of magic mushrooms
These mushrooms can help in the treatment of depression, eating disorders and addiction, having promising results in combination with psychotherapy. The use of psychedelic substances, including psilocybin, can produce spiritual benefits similar to those of meditation or other mystical experiences, although comparisons between subjective effects are not easy to quantify. Hundreds of people who consume mushrooms describe it as “the most significant individual experience of their life, finding permanent positive effects of its use, among them, greater openness, gratitude, forgiveness, abilities to cope with problems,” significance of the death ”and a greater knowledge of himself.
How magic mushrooms work
Psilocybin from magic mushrooms is converted to psilocin in the human body, which binds to serotonin receptors in the brain, particularly the 5-HT2C receptor, which regulates the release of neurotransmitter chemicals related to appetite, cognition, anxiety, imagination, learning, memory, mood and perception. Psilocin increases the activity of the visual cortex, while reducing that of the part of the brain that is responsible for the ego, or the individual sense of self.
What to do before taking mushrooms:
Eat first. The appetite is usually suppressed during a mushroom trip, so it is advisable to have a meal an hour or two before the experience. However, you can add a snack while consuming mushrooms, as these have an earthy and bitter taste. They are not very palatable. A typical dose of psilocybin like those sold on the black market for recreational substances is around 3.5 grams
It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before you begin to feel the effects of magic mushrooms, and the strongest effects are experienced between two and three hours after ingestion and can last up to about 7 hours.
Mushrooms are not physically addictive nor have they been shown to cause psychological dependence. The active chemical compounds, psilocybin and psilocin, produce short-term tolerance in users, diminishing their effects with repeated use. It may take several weeks or a month for tolerance to return to normal.
However, recreational use is often wrong, since it is considered a drug for party settings when it should serve to get to know ourselves deeply and explore our psyche.
If you are ready to get through this life changing experience
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- Aaron Burr & the Bayside team
