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"There is still a lot we don’t know about the potential long-term side effects and more serious rare side effects of psilocybin use," Caballero said. Psilocybin is designated a Schedule 1 drug by U.S. federal law because of its hallucinogenic properties. Drugs in this classification also typically have a high potential for abuse.

A randomized, double-blind trial from Johns Hopkins in 2016 found that a single dose of psilocybin substantially improved quality of life and decreased depression and anxiety in people with life-threatening cancer diagnoses. Its potential indications include depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, quitting smoking, alcohol addiction, cocaine addiction, cluster headaches, and cancer-related or other end-of-life psychological distress. But these days, the regulated marijuana industry is struggling with massive oversupply. And drug decriminalization has not greatly expanded addiction treatment or reduced overdoses as hoped. According to AP VoteCast, 58% of Oregon voters in the 2022 midterm elections thought Oregon’s drug decriminalization effort had been a bad thing. EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Psilocybin tea, wind chimes and a tie-dye mattress await those coming to an office suite in Eugene to trip on Sacred Fruit Magic Carpets mushrooms.

Participants will take two doses of psilocybin a week apart, with the second dose doubling in strength, under lab conditions, including a facilitator, and a comfortable setting with music. Psilocybin is naturally produced by more than 200 species of basidiomycetes fungi—a phylum of filamentous fungi—collectively known as psilocybin mushrooms. These mushrooms come in all shapes and sizes and are found around the world.

In mid-April, O’Farrill organized a trip for six people — including himself — to visit Pedro Castañeda for the healing retreat. Two people, a man who works for a Wall Street asset management firm and a woman training to guide people during mushroom trips, had flown in from the U.S. A mother and daughter, both psychologists, and a literary editor were from Mexico. Francisco Javier Hernandez Garcia is a Huautla healer who leads mushroom ceremonies for tourists almost daily at some points in the summer. He fears mushrooms will "lose respect" if they are legalized for therapy. Francisco Javier Hernandez García, a Huautla healer who leads mushroom ceremonies for tourists almost daily at some points of the summer, fears that mushrooms will "lose respect" if they are legalized for therapy outside of the Indigenous context.

After drying the mushrooms, their compounds will be extracted and purified and they will be turned into a capsule that contains a 25-milligram dose of psilocybin. Finally, those pills will be distributed throughout Canada and around the world. At least several more years of research will likely be needed before psilocybin can obtain FDA approval, however. Researchers envision it as not only a standalone treatment, but also a possible add-on to standard therapies. It could make current treatments more effective, Dr. Ghaznavi says.

Magic mushrooms contain a compound called psilocybin that, when ingested, becomes psilocin. This chemical activates serotonin receptors in your brain, triggering vivid hallucinations, a sense of euphoria, and changes in your perception of space and time. A standard dose of psilocybin is about 3.5 grams, colloquially known as "an eighth" (of an ounce). That said, it's possible to feel the psychoactive effects of psilocybin with as little as half a gram. A standard microdose—intended to be just sub-perceptible—is about a quarter gram, while a standard macrodose—better known as a "heroic dose"—begins at about five grams. Some beginners like to start with something between a microdose and a gram to get a feel for the psychedelic experience, while others choose to go straight in with a heroic dose in order to truly understand what it means to trip.