Laura Smith
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom that contains the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin when ingested. They have been ingested for thousands of years, with some historians suggesting that their use can be traced back to 9000 BC through cave paintings in North Africa and Europe. In 1958, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann isolated psilocybin and psilocin from the Psilocybe mexicana mushroom, with his employer, Sandoz, marketing and selling pure psilocybin for use in psychedelic therapy worldwide. Despite being outlawed in many countries, psilocybin mushrooms have gained popularity, with some advocating for their medicinal properties and pushing for decriminalization.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First discovered by | Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann |
| Date of discovery | 1958 |
| Date of popularisation in the US | 20th Century |
| Date of illegality in the US | 1970 |
| Date of classification as Schedule I drug | 1971 |
| Number of species | ~165 known species of Psilocybe |
| Number of species with the highest amount of psilocybin | 1 |
| Species with the highest amount of psilocybin | Panaeolus subbalteatus |
| Number of species with the most widespread distribution | 1 |
| Most widespread species | P. semilanceata |
| Number of new Psilocybe species described in 2024 | 2 |
| Earliest evidence of use | 9000-7000 BC |
| Earliest evidence of use in Europe | 4000 BC |
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What You'll Learn
Ancient cultures and their use of magic mushrooms
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom that contains the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin when ingested. Magic mushrooms are believed to have been used by ancient cultures for thousands of years, with evidence of their use in religious and spiritual rituals, as well as for recreational purposes.
One of the earliest known references to magic mushrooms comes from the Aztec culture in Mesoamerica. The Aztecs referred to psilocybin mushrooms as "teonanacatl", which translates to "god's flesh" or "divine mushroom". Magic mushrooms were used in Aztec rituals and ceremonies, often for divinatory, religious, or spiritual purposes. Spanish missionaries in the 1500s attempted to suppress the use of these mushrooms, considering it a pagan practice. However, some records of their use survived, including the writings of a 16th-century Spanish Franciscan friar and historian.
In addition to the Aztecs, other ancient cultures in Mesoamerica and Central America also utilized magic mushrooms in their rituals. For example, mushroom stones and motifs have been discovered in Guatemala, and a statuette depicting a mushroom resembling Psilocybe mexicana was found in a tomb in the Mexican state of Colima. These findings suggest that the use of magic mushrooms was widespread in the region.
Evidence of magic mushroom use has also been found in Africa and Europe. Rock art from Tassili, Algeria, dating back to around 9000-7000 BCE, is believed to depict psychedelic mushrooms and the transformative effects they had on users. Similarly, prehistoric rock art in Spain suggests that Psilocybe hispanica was used in religious rituals approximately 6,000 years ago.
While the use of magic mushrooms has a long history, it was not until the 20th century that they gained wider popularity in Western culture. R. Gordon Wasson, a banker and enthusiast of magic mushrooms, wrote about his experiences with the mushrooms in a 1957 photo essay and a subsequent article in Life magazine titled "Seeking the Magic Mushroom". Wasson's writings are credited with introducing the term "magic mushrooms" and sparking interest in their use among Westerners. Following Wasson's work, American scientists began studying magic mushrooms, enlisting the help of Swiss scientist Albert Hoffman, who first extracted and identified psilocybin as the compound responsible for the mushrooms' psychoactive effects.
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The arrival of magic mushrooms in the US
Magic mushrooms, or psilocybin mushrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom that contains the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. They are believed to have been used by humans for thousands of years, with evidence of their use in prehistoric cave paintings in Africa and Europe, as well as in ancient rituals and ceremonies in Mesoamerica.
In the 20th century, magic mushrooms made their way to the United States, brought over by an executive at J.P. Morgan Bank who discovered them on vacation in Mexico. R. Gordon Wasson, a banker and enthusiast of magic mushrooms, also played a significant role in their arrival. He travelled to Mexico, learned about their traditional use, and wrote about his experiences in a 1957 Life magazine article titled "Seeking the Magic Mushroom". This article is credited with popularising the term "magic mushrooms" and bringing greater awareness to their existence.
Following Wasson's article, American scientists began studying magic mushrooms. Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann, known for his work with LSD, isolated and identified the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin from Psilocybe mexicana mushrooms in 1958. Hofmann's team then synthesised several structural analogs and examined their effects on psychoactivity, leading to the development of ethocybin and CZ-74.
In 1960, counterculture icon Timothy Leary read Wasson's Life article and decided to try magic mushrooms himself. After experiencing what he believed to be a profound transformation, Leary returned to Harvard University and started the Harvard Psilocybin Project, conducting experiments with psychedelic drugs. Despite the growing interest and research in the 1960s, the increasingly restrictive drug laws of the 1970s curbed scientific exploration of psilocybin and other hallucinogens. In 1970, magic mushrooms were officially made illegal in the United States, classified as Schedule I drugs.
Despite their illegal status, magic mushrooms continued to be used and advocated for by figures such as writer and ethnobotanist Terence McKenna, who published "Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide" in 1976. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the therapeutic potential of magic mushrooms, with research suggesting they can be used to treat conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. As a result, there has been a push for decriminalisation, with Denver, Colorado, decriminalising their use in 2019.
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The popularisation of magic mushrooms
Magic mushrooms, or psilocybin mushrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom that contains the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. The popularity of magic mushrooms can be traced back to ancient times, with evidence suggesting that they have been used by humans for thousands of years for shamanistic, religious, and ceremonial purposes. However, the popularisation of magic mushrooms as a recreational drug is a more recent phenomenon.
In the 20th century, magic mushrooms were introduced to the United States by an executive at J.P. Morgan Bank, who discovered them on vacation in Mexico. R. Gordon Wasson, a banker and enthusiast of magic mushrooms, also played a significant role in their popularisation. He travelled to Mexico, participated in a Mazatec ceremony involving 'shrooms, and wrote about his experience in a Life magazine article titled "Seeking the Magic Mushroom." This article is credited with raising awareness and coining the term "magic mushrooms."
In 1958, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann isolated psilocybin and psilocin from the mushroom Psilocybe mexicana. His employer, Sandoz, marketed and sold pure psilocybin for psychedelic therapy. However, the increasing drug restrictions in the 1960s and 1970s hindered scientific research into psilocybin and other hallucinogens. Despite this, the popularity of magic mushrooms continued to grow, especially after LSD became available in the 1970s. The free and natural availability of magic mushrooms, coupled with the difficulty in distinguishing them from edible mushrooms, contributed to their widespread use.
The release of the book "Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide" by writer and ethnobotanist Terence McKenna in 1976 further contributed to the popularisation of magic mushrooms. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of magic mushrooms, with research suggesting their potential in treating conditions such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The media has also played a role in highlighting the benefits of psychedelics, such as the film "Fantastic Fungi" and the book "How to Change Your Mind" by Michael Pollan.
While the possession and cultivation of magic mushrooms are still outlawed in many countries, there have been recent pushes for decriminalisation and legalisation, with Denver, Colorado, decriminalising magic mushrooms in 2019. The popularisation of magic mushrooms has been a complex and ongoing process, influenced by ancient traditions, scientific research, popular culture, and changing legal landscapes.
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Magic mushrooms and their legality
Magic mushrooms, or psilocybin mushrooms, are hallucinogenic fungi that have been consumed by humans for thousands of years. They are naturally occurring and can be found growing worldwide, although the majority of species are found in subtropical humid forests. The use of magic mushrooms has been documented in various ancient cultures, with some historians suggesting that they were used as early as 9000 BC. In pre-Columbian America, they were referred to as the "flesh of the gods" and were used in Aztec rituals.
In terms of their legality, magic mushrooms are considered a Schedule I drug under the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which requires its members to prohibit psilocybin. However, due to pressure from the Mexican government, the mushrooms themselves were not specifically included in the convention. As a result, the legal status of psilocybin mushrooms varies worldwide, with many countries having some level of regulation or prohibition in place.
In the United States, psilocybin was first subjected to federal regulation in 1965 and was officially made illegal in 1970. However, there has been a growing movement to decriminalize and legalize psilocybin in recent years. In 2019, Denver, Colorado, became the first city in the U.S. to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms, and other cities such as Oakland, Washington, D.C., and Somerville, Massachusetts, have since followed suit. In 2020, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize psilocybin and legalize it for supervised non-medical use. While the sale and possession of psilocybin mushroom spores are prohibited in some U.S. states, there is ambiguity in the legal system, and an active underground economy exists for the sale of spores and cultivation materials.
The push for decriminalization and legalization is driven by increasing scientific research highlighting the therapeutic and medicinal potential of psilocybin. Research suggests that psilocybin is non-addictive and has potential benefits in treating treatment-resistant depression, nicotine dependence, PTSD, and anxiety. As the body of research grows, so does legal and political support for reform, with interactive maps and trackers now being used to monitor the shifting legal landscape surrounding psychedelic law and policy.
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The medicinal potential of magic mushrooms
Psilocybin mushrooms, more commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom that contains the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. Magic mushrooms have been used for thousands of years for medicinal and ceremonial purposes. In Central America, Aztec and Mazateca cultures believed these mushrooms had divine properties and used them during coronations and other important events until at least the 1500s.
Today, magic mushrooms are mostly illegal in the United States, but there is growing advocacy for decriminalization as research reveals their potential health benefits. In 2018, researchers at Johns Hopkins University confirmed that magic mushrooms can be used medicinally to treat PTSD, depression, and anxiety. They can also help people quit smoking and treat other substance use disorders, including alcohol and cocaine addiction. A 2019 pilot study from Johns Hopkins University found that psilocybin therapy significantly improved abstinence from smoking over a 12-month follow-up period.
The active ingredient in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, is a powerful psychedelic that is capable of altering perception of space and time, causing visual distortions, euphoria, and mystical experiences. It interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain to trigger various psychedelic effects. While psilocybin is about 100 times less potent than LSD, it still has the potential to cause adverse effects, including hallucinations that last between five and seven hours.
Despite the promising research, psilocybin therapy has not yet been approved by the FDA. The path to approval is uncertain due to the stigmatization of psilocybin, which has made it difficult to obtain funding for studies. However, as more trials demonstrate the potential benefits of psilocybin, there may be a greater push for investment and advocacy for removing legal restrictions on mushroom possession.
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Frequently asked questions
Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, have been ingested for thousands of years. They are naturally occurring fungi that cause hallucinations when eaten. The first mention of a hallucinogenic experience from psilocybin mushrooms was recorded in London in 1799.
The effects of psilocybin mushrooms include euphoria, changes in perception, a distorted sense of time, and perceived spiritual experiences. They can also cause adverse reactions such as nausea and panic attacks.
Psilocybin mushrooms are illegal in most countries. In the United States, they were made illegal in 1970 and are classified as a Schedule I drug. However, in 2019, Denver, Colorado, decriminalized magic mushrooms.
Common types of psilocybin mushrooms include P. azurescens, P. semilanceata, and P. cyanescens. Psilocybe cubensis is the most common Psilocybe in tropical areas.
There is evidence to suggest that humans have used psilocybin mushrooms in religious ceremonies for thousands of years. They may be depicted in Stone Age rock art in Africa and Europe, and they were also used in Mesoamerica in spiritual and divinatory ceremonies before being documented by Spanish chroniclers in the 16th century.
