Sarah Brown
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 upon ingestion. The earliest known depiction of hallucinogenic mushroom use comes from a 4000 BCE cave painting in Spain, and they may also be depicted in Stone Age rock art in Africa and Europe. In the 1500s, Spanish missionaries attempted to destroy all records and evidence of the use of these mushrooms, but a 16th-century Spanish Franciscan friar and historian mentioned teonanacatl, the Aztec name for hallucinogenic mushrooms, in his extensive writings. In 1957, R. Gordon Wasson, a successful banker and fan of magic mushrooms, travelled to Mexico and participated in a Mazatec ceremony featuring shrooms, which he later wrote about in a 1957 photo essay for a popular magazine. In 1960, Timothy Leary read Wasson's article and travelled to Mexico himself to experience psilocybin mushrooms. Upon returning to Harvard, he and Richard Alpert started the Harvard Psilocybin Project, promoting psychological and religious studies of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs. In 1970, magic mushrooms were made illegal in the United States, but they continued to be used and studied, and in 2018, researchers at Johns Hopkins University confirmed that they could be used medicinally to treat conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Earliest use | Cave paintings from 4000 BCE in Spain and 9000 BCE in North Africa and Europe |
| Ancient names | "Flesh of the gods" or "Teonanacatl" (South American Aztec Indians) |
| Arrival in the US | 20th Century |
| Popularisation in the US | R. Gordon Wasson, a successful banker and big fan of magic mushrooms, travelled through Mexico in 1957 and wrote a 1957 photo-essay in a popular magazine describing the use of these mushrooms |
| Research in the US | In 1960, Timothy Leary, a counterculture and psychedelia icon, started the Harvard Psilocybin Project, promoting psychological and religious studies of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs |
| Outlawed in the US | 1970 |
| Outlawed in the UK | 1971 |
| Popularisation in the 1970s | Terence McKenna's book "Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide" in 1976 |
| Medicinal use | In 2018, researchers at Johns Hopkins University confirmed that magic mushrooms can be used medicinally to treat things like PTSD, depression, and anxiety |
| Decriminalisation | In 2019, Denver, Colorado, decriminalised magic mushrooms. Oakland, California, followed suit and decriminalised all psychedelic plants and fungi |
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What You'll Learn
- Ancient cave paintings in Spain from 4000 BCE may depict Psilocybe hispanica mushrooms
- In 1957, R. Gordon Wasson, a banker, travelled to Mexico and took part in a Mazatec ceremony involving 'shrooms
- In 1960, Timothy Leary returned to Harvard and started the Harvard Psilocybin Project with Richard Alpert
- In 1970, magic mushrooms were made illegal in the US, but people continued to use them
- In 2018, researchers at Johns Hopkins University confirmed that magic mushrooms can be used medicinally
Ancient cave paintings in Spain from 4000 BCE may depict Psilocybe hispanica mushrooms
The use of psychedelic mushrooms dates back thousands of years, with one of the earliest known depictions of hallucinogenic mushroom use found in a 4000 BCE cave painting in Spain. The painting, discovered in the prehistoric archaeological site of Selva Pascuala, may depict Psilocybe hispanica mushrooms, a species with hallucinogenic properties.
Selva Pascuala, located in Spain, is a rich repository of prehistoric rock art, including fungoid figures that are believed to represent neurotropic fungi, specifically Psilocybe hispanica. This hypothesis is based on the morphological characteristics of the figures, ethnographic interpretations, and shamanistic explanations of rock art. The discovery suggests that Psilocybe hispanica was utilised ritually in prehistoric Europe, marking the first direct evidence of potential psychoactive fungus usage in the region.
Psilocybe hispanica is a species of mushroom that occurs in neighbouring regions of the cave painting, particularly in the Pyrenees and alpine Pinus forests at altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 meters. It is also coprophilic, meaning it grows in manure, which may be linked to the bull depicted alongside the mushrooms in the cave painting. The mural's combination of fungus and bovine elements could be indicative of the effects of Psilocybe on humans, as hypothesised by researchers.
The identification of the mushroom species in the cave painting is tentative, and other species, such as Psilocybe semilanceata, have also been considered. Psilocybe semilanceata has a narrower cap and a more acute apex compared to Psilocybe hispanica, and it does not typically grow in manure, although it is commonly found in manured grounds. The conclusion that the painting depicts Psilocybe hispanica is based on the overall resemblance to the pictographs, including the shape and brown pigmentation of the mushrooms.
The ancient cave paintings in Spain from 4000 BCE may depict Psilocybe hispanica mushrooms, providing valuable insights into the early utilisation of hallucinogenic mushrooms by prehistoric societies. Further research and interpretations of the art continue to enhance our understanding of the role of psychoactive fungi in ancient cultures.
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In 1957, R. Gordon Wasson, a banker, travelled to Mexico and took part in a Mazatec ceremony involving 'shrooms
In 1957, R. Gordon Wasson, an amateur mycologist and banker, published a photo essay titled "Seeking the Magic Mushroom". The essay describes his experience taking part in a Mazatec ceremony involving psilocybin mushrooms in 1955. The ceremony took place in the Mazatec Mountains in the northern corner of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.
Wasson was one of the first Westerners to participate in such a ceremony and to describe the psychoactive effects of the Psilocybe species. The essay contains photographs by Allan Richardson and illustrations of several Psilocybe mushroom species collected and identified by French botanist Roger Heim, then director of the French National Museum of Natural History.
Wasson's essay, written in the first person, appeared in the May 13 issue of Life magazine as part three of the "Great Adventures" series. The essay was preceded by the limited release of a two-volume book by Wasson and his wife, Valentina Pavlovna Wasson, titled "Mushrooms, Russia and History". Six days after the publication of the essay in Life magazine, an interview with Valentina titled "I Ate the Sacred Mushroom" was published in This Week magazine.
The essay and subsequent publications influenced the counterculture in the United States, leading many hippies and spiritual seekers, including Timothy Leary, to travel to Mexico in the 1960s in search of the mushrooms. When Leary returned to Harvard in 1960, he and Richard Alpert started the Harvard Psilocybin Project, promoting psychological and religious studies of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs.
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In 1960, Timothy Leary returned to Harvard and started the Harvard Psilocybin Project with Richard Alpert
Leary and Alpert's project aimed to promote psychological and religious studies of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs. They conducted research with psilocybin on prisoners, testing its effects on recidivism. The experiment showed a decrease in the recidivism rate below 40%, surprising the researchers. They also administered psilocybin to graduate divinity students, which sparked controversy.
The methods employed by Leary and Alpert were unorthodox and raised concerns among their colleagues. Their research was criticized for a lack of scientific rigor and failure to observe established research guidelines. Specifically, they conducted investigations while under the influence of psilocybin themselves, and their experiments involved poorly controlled conditions and non-random selection of subjects.
Despite the promising results in the recidivism experiment, Leary and Alpert faced ethical questions about their methods, including the administration of psychedelics to undergraduate students. In 1963, these concerns led to their dismissal from Harvard. However, their work had a lasting impact, as they became icons of the psychedelic drug, counterculture, and human potential movement. Their research brought attention to the potential therapeutic effects of psilocybin, though it also contributed to the criminalization of psilocybin possession under United States federal law in 1968.
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In 1970, magic mushrooms were made illegal in the US, but people continued to use them
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom and a polyphyletic informal group of fungi that contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. The effects of psilocybin mushrooms appear around 20 minutes after ingestion and can last up to 6 hours.
On 27 October 1970, psilocybin and psilocin became classified as Schedule I drugs with apparently no known therapeutic benefit and were labelled "hallucinogens" under the Controlled Substances Act. This led to magic mushrooms being made illegal in the US. However, the mushrooms containing the drugs were not specifically included in the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which was adopted in 1971, due to pressure from the Mexican government. This ambiguity has led to a strong element of selective enforcement in some places, with many US state courts considering the mushroom a "container" of illicit drugs, while others disagree. For example, in 1978, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that wild-picked psilocybin mushrooms were not "containers" of psilocybin and therefore had to be specifically listed in Florida law by the legislature to be made illegal. As the Florida legislature has not changed the laws since then, wild psilocybin mushrooms are currently legal to possess in Florida.
Despite the 1970 ban, people continued to use magic mushrooms, and they became increasingly popular in the early 1970s, with many species being described in North America, Europe, and Asia. The popularity of entheogens by figures such as Timothy Leary, Terence McKenna, and Robert Anton Wilson led to an explosion in the use of psilocybin mushrooms worldwide. Books describing methods of cultivating Psilocybe cubensis were also published during this time. The availability of psilocybin mushrooms from wild and cultivated sources has made them one of the most widely used psychedelic drugs.
In recent years, there has been a growing movement to decriminalize and legalize psilocybin mushrooms for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. In 2020, Oregon became the first state to make magic mushrooms legal for mental health treatment. In 2022, Colorado became the second state to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms, and in the same year, the Canadian province of Alberta announced it would regulate and allow the use of psilocybin for medicinal purposes. In 2023, Australia approved the use of psilocybin in prescription medications for treating PTSD and treatment-resistant depression.
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In 2018, researchers at Johns Hopkins University confirmed that magic mushrooms can be used medicinally
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom. They contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic compound psilocin upon ingestion. The effects of psilocybin mushrooms include nausea, vomiting, euphoria, muscle weakness or relaxation, drowsiness, and lack of coordination.
The molecular structure of psilocybin allows it to penetrate the central nervous system, and its effects on the brain and mind are being studied for their potential therapeutic benefits for mental illnesses. Previous studies by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers showed that psilocybin-assisted therapy, combined with supportive psychotherapy, can alleviate major depressive disorder symptoms in adults for up to a year.
Johns Hopkins researchers also reported that a substantial majority of people suffering from cancer-related anxiety or depression experienced considerable relief for up to six months from a single large dose of psilocybin. However, it is important to note that psilocybin is not without risks, and researchers recommend tight control and administration in a healthcare setting by trained professionals.
The discovery of the medicinal potential of magic mushrooms adds to the growing body of knowledge about the benefits of psychedelics. Magic mushrooms have a long history of use, with early depictions of hallucinogenic mushroom use found in a 4000 BCE cave painting in Spain.
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Frequently asked questions
Psychedelics mushrooms, or magic mushrooms, have been known to humans for thousands of years. They may be depicted in Stone Age rock art in Africa and Europe, but they are more certainly represented in pre-Columbian sculptures and glyphs seen throughout the Americas.
Psychedelic mushrooms arrived in the United States in the 20th century, when an executive at J.P. Morgan Bank discovered them on vacation in Mexico and brought them back for his friends. In 1957, R. Gordon Wasson, a successful banker and big fan of magic mushrooms, travelled to Mexico and learned more about the drug. In 1960, Timothy Leary, a counterculture and psychedelia icon, read a Life article on magic mushrooms and started the Harvard Psilocybin Project, promoting psychological and religious studies of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs.
In the 1970s, magic mushrooms were made illegal in the United States. President Richard Nixon began the War on Drugs, a program designed to counteract the effects of the hippie movement and decrease the rates of drug use and overdoses in the country. Nixon followed up this campaign by declaring Leary the “most dangerous man in America” due to his widespread endorsement of hallucinogenic drugs.
