Road Trip

Shrooms that contain psilocybin are considered federally illegal, at least in the U.S., because psilocybin itself is a Schedule I Controlled Substance. This means that, in the eyes of the federal government, psilocybin has a high potential for misuse, no accepted medical uses, and can only be safely used under the supervision of a medical professional. 

Whether or not this classification of shrooms is really fair is up to you, but there are fortunately other options for those looking to experiment without breaking the law. Remember our friend Amanita muscaria, the classic red-and-white toadstool mushroom? Its active ingredients are not controlled substances, which means they are not subject to the same restrictions and legal penalties. 

The word “shrooms” is generally used as an umbrella term for different types of psychedelic or “magic” mushrooms. 

Unlike the mushrooms we might eat in a dish, shrooms often contain compounds that can produce psychedelic effects, like hallucinations, distorted senses, and altered states of consciousness, also known as “trips.” The most common psychoactive compound found in these sorts of shrooms is psilocybin, but not all shrooms capable of impacting the brain rely on psilocybin to do so.

Many people turn to shrooms for recreational or medicinal purposes (or both), which isn’t a new phenomenon; many types of mushrooms have been used for centuries or even longer to treat common ailments, promote spiritual exploration, and bring people closer together. 

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In fact, some shrooms, like fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), are so ancient that researchers have traced their origins back to the period before indigenous peoples crossed from Eurasia to the Americas via the Bering Straits. That means that shroom use has been around for almost as long as modern human society has!

Magic mushrooms, including those with psilocybin and things like A. muscaria, typically begin to kick in within about 30-60 minutes. Effects generally peak after an hour or two, and the entire trip will likely last from four to six hours. 

There are, of course, personal and biological factors that can affect how long your shroom experience lasts. The potency of the shrooms in question, the dose you take, and your own metabolism can all influence how strong a trip is and how long it sticks around.

Once your trip has come to a close, you can likely expect the remnants of your fungal friends to linger in your body for about one to three days. Keep in mind, though, that most standard drug tests don’t check for magic mushrooms, and if they do, they’re almost certainly looking for psilocybin. 

If drug testing is a concern of yours, it might be best to choose shrooms that are psilocybin-free or time your trips to leave enough days for your body to purge it from your system.

Amanita Muscaria is a psychoactive, trippy, and federally legal mushroom. The twisted tales of Amanita are as trippy as the mushroom itself. Amanita muscaria contains a high quantity of alkaloids and its pharmacology is complex and not fully understood. The most relevant alkaloids are ibotenic acid, muscinol, muscarine, and muscazone.