Magic Mushrooms
How they are taken?
Mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked, heated with water to make a tea or soup, or added to an omelette or another dish just like non-hallucinogenic mushrooms. Some species have to be cooked first to avoid poisoning. But, before you rush off to the shops, these are not the same mushrooms you'd buy at your local market or supermarket!
What happens?
It can take up to an hour for the mushrooms to take effect. If you have a small amount of the hallucinogenic substances contained in the fungus, you may feel relaxed and a little stoned, a feeling similar to that obtained using cannabis. Higher doses can induce trips similar to LSD. How you feel and who you're with will influence your experience dramatically. A mushroom trip can last for up to 12 hours, with some disorientation the following day.
Physical changes
Compared to the psychological effects these are minor - increased heart rate and blood pressure, and dilated pupils. Sometimes you may experience a mild stomach upset.
Keeping safe
If you are going to pick mushrooms, preferably take someone with you who knows what the mushrooms look like, and where they grow - for example liberty caps grow in open, well manured grassland. If you find something that looks similar growing in a forest it's the wrong mushroom. If you can't take an experienced mushroom harvester, take a good mushroom guide such as Collins' Guide to Mushrooms and Toadstools. Mushroom poisoning can be caused by picking the right species in the wrong condition - it is not safe to eat mushrooms that have been infested by worms or maggots. Older mushrooms should be avoided, as should wet or dirty ones (these tend to go off quickly). If you are going to store the mushrooms at all, remember that they deteriorate and rot quickly if they are damp, closely packed or left in an airtight container. Mushrooms vary widely in the amount of psilocybin they contain - use a small number at first, and increase the dose if necessary. The symptoms of mushroom poisoning can manifest in 20 minutes, but may take up to 40 hours for more slow-acting poisons. Many different poisons can occur in mushrooms; the most common symptoms are vomiting, diarrhoea, cramp, watering eyes, increased saliva flow, jaundice and breathing difficulties. If you are with someone who is ill and has been eating mushrooms, take them to a hospital or doctor immediately - call for an ambulance if you're stoned, don't try to drive. If possible, take some of the mushrooms with you so that any poisons can be quickly identified.
Mushroom tripping isn't something you should do alone, the psychological effects of tripping can lead some people into states of fear and anxiety attacks or 'bad trips'. Being with friends can help you to move through these experiences more quickly and safely. Like any other hallucinogen, mushrooms should not be eaten if you're feeling depressed, anxious or under stress. They won't make your worries go away - generally, hallucinogens tend to amplify how you're feeling at the time. Choose the right environment - somewhere relaxed and safe. Busy roads, rivers, festivals or crowded streets may cause you problems. You should never try to drive if you've eaten magic mushrooms. Mushroom trips can last for eight hours or more.
Legal status
Currently, the possession and consumption of mushrooms is not against the law. Psilocybin is contained in many hallucinogenic mushrooms (including the liberty cap) and is a class A drug. This raises complex legal issues with regard to magic mushrooms; generally, prosecution brought against people for possession of untreated/raw mushrooms alone is likely to fail. Prosecutions have been successfully brought against people for treating or preparing mushrooms (drying, crushing or making a tea for example) with the intent to consume them and the controlled drug contained within them.
For a legal alternative to recreational drugs, try some of our Herbal Stimulants, all of which give you the same high but with none of the side-effects.
This online advice guide is an extract from the book TOGETHER, by kind permission of Patriic Gayle and Gay Times Books. The book itself is over 300 pages long and contains:
several chapters more useful advice and information
more in-depth information in some chapters
more pictures and tables
further contacts at the end of each chapter
a comprehensive listing of gay and health organisations
Described by Qx magazine as a 'Gay Bible', Together Book is a practical reference work no bookshelf should be without.
Available from Prowler Stores and all good bookshops, or click the link below for price and ordering details.
Mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked, heated with water to make a tea or soup, or added to an omelette or another dish just like non-hallucinogenic mushrooms. Some species have to be cooked first to avoid poisoning. But, before you rush off to the shops, these are not the same mushrooms you'd buy at your local market or supermarket!
What happens?
It can take up to an hour for the mushrooms to take effect. If you have a small amount of the hallucinogenic substances contained in the fungus, you may feel relaxed and a little stoned, a feeling similar to that obtained using cannabis. Higher doses can induce trips similar to LSD. How you feel and who you're with will influence your experience dramatically. A mushroom trip can last for up to 12 hours, with some disorientation the following day.
Physical changes
Compared to the psychological effects these are minor - increased heart rate and blood pressure, and dilated pupils. Sometimes you may experience a mild stomach upset.
Keeping safe
If you are going to pick mushrooms, preferably take someone with you who knows what the mushrooms look like, and where they grow - for example liberty caps grow in open, well manured grassland. If you find something that looks similar growing in a forest it's the wrong mushroom. If you can't take an experienced mushroom harvester, take a good mushroom guide such as Collins' Guide to Mushrooms and Toadstools. Mushroom poisoning can be caused by picking the right species in the wrong condition - it is not safe to eat mushrooms that have been infested by worms or maggots. Older mushrooms should be avoided, as should wet or dirty ones (these tend to go off quickly). If you are going to store the mushrooms at all, remember that they deteriorate and rot quickly if they are damp, closely packed or left in an airtight container. Mushrooms vary widely in the amount of psilocybin they contain - use a small number at first, and increase the dose if necessary. The symptoms of mushroom poisoning can manifest in 20 minutes, but may take up to 40 hours for more slow-acting poisons. Many different poisons can occur in mushrooms; the most common symptoms are vomiting, diarrhoea, cramp, watering eyes, increased saliva flow, jaundice and breathing difficulties. If you are with someone who is ill and has been eating mushrooms, take them to a hospital or doctor immediately - call for an ambulance if you're stoned, don't try to drive. If possible, take some of the mushrooms with you so that any poisons can be quickly identified.
Mushroom tripping isn't something you should do alone, the psychological effects of tripping can lead some people into states of fear and anxiety attacks or 'bad trips'. Being with friends can help you to move through these experiences more quickly and safely. Like any other hallucinogen, mushrooms should not be eaten if you're feeling depressed, anxious or under stress. They won't make your worries go away - generally, hallucinogens tend to amplify how you're feeling at the time. Choose the right environment - somewhere relaxed and safe. Busy roads, rivers, festivals or crowded streets may cause you problems. You should never try to drive if you've eaten magic mushrooms. Mushroom trips can last for eight hours or more.
Legal status
Currently, the possession and consumption of mushrooms is not against the law. Psilocybin is contained in many hallucinogenic mushrooms (including the liberty cap) and is a class A drug. This raises complex legal issues with regard to magic mushrooms; generally, prosecution brought against people for possession of untreated/raw mushrooms alone is likely to fail. Prosecutions have been successfully brought against people for treating or preparing mushrooms (drying, crushing or making a tea for example) with the intent to consume them and the controlled drug contained within them.
For a legal alternative to recreational drugs, try some of our Herbal Stimulants, all of which give you the same high but with none of the side-effects.
This online advice guide is an extract from the book TOGETHER, by kind permission of Patriic Gayle and Gay Times Books. The book itself is over 300 pages long and contains:
Described by Qx magazine as a 'Gay Bible', Together Book is a practical reference work no bookshelf should be without.
Available from Prowler Stores and all good bookshops, or click the link below for price and ordering details.
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