Michael Davis
Psilocybin mushrooms, more commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a hallucinogenic mushroom that contains the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. There is evidence of their use as far back as 9000–7000 BCE, with rock art from Tassili, Algeria, believed to depict psychedelic mushrooms. In the 1950s, amateur mycologist Gordon Wasson became the first modern Westerner to document an indigenous psychedelic mushroom ceremony in Mexico, and Swiss scientist Albert Hoffman was the first person to extract psilocybin from the mushrooms. In the 1960s, magic mushrooms gained popularity in the US, with counterculture icon Timothy Leary experimenting with them and starting the Harvard Psilocybin Project to conduct experiments based on psychedelic drugs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common names | Magic mushrooms, shrooms, psychedelic mushrooms, hallucinogenic fungi |
| Scientific name | Psilocybin mushrooms |
| Active compounds | Psilocybin, psilocin, norpsilocin, baeocystin, norbaeocystin, aeruginascin, ibotenic acid, muscimol |
| History of use | Used in religious and healing rituals by South American Aztec Indians, who referred to them as "teonanacatl" or "god's flesh". Used by the native peoples of Mesoamerica from pre-Columbian times to the present day. |
| Archaeological evidence | Rock art from c. 9000–7000 BCE from Tassili, Algeria. Prehistoric rock art near Villar del Humo in Spain suggests use 6,000 years ago. |
| Discovery by Westerners | Amateur mycologist Gordon Wasson documented an indigenous psychedelic mushroom ceremony in Mexico in 1955 and published his findings in Life magazine in 1957. |
| Legality | Illegal in the United States since 1970. Decriminalized in Denver, Colorado in 2019, and legalized in Oregon and Colorado in 2022. |
| Medical applications | Potential therapeutic benefits, including treating PTSD, depression, anxiety, and smoking cessation. |
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What You'll Learn
- Ancient rock art suggests hallucinogenic mushrooms were used 9,000 years ago
- In 1955, Gordon Wasson documented an indigenous psychedelic mushroom ceremony
- In 1957, Wasson published an article on his experiences with magic mushrooms in Mexico
- In 1960, Timothy Leary travelled to Mexico to try magic mushrooms for himself
- In 1970, magic mushrooms were made illegal in America
Ancient rock art suggests hallucinogenic mushrooms were used 9,000 years ago
Rock art from around 9000–7000 BCE found in Tassili, Algeria, is believed to depict the use of psychedelic mushrooms. The rock art suggests that the mushrooms were used in rituals and religious ceremonies. The paintings show shamans with large numbers of grazing cattle, dancing with their fists full of mushrooms, and surrounded by the geometric structures of their hallucinations.
The rock art also depicts mushroom-like objects in the dancers' right hands, with parallel lines coming out of the objects and reaching the dancers' heads. This could signify an indirect association or non-material fluid passing from the object to the mind. The interpretation is in line with the idea of the universal mental value induced by hallucinogenic mushrooms and vegetables, often of a mystical and spiritual nature.
The use of hallucinogenic mushrooms has a long history, with evidence suggesting that they were used by ancient civilizations such as the Aztecs, who referred to them as "teonanacatl," meaning "god's flesh" or "divine mushroom." Spanish missionaries in the 1500s attempted to destroy all records and evidence of the use of these mushrooms. However, a 16th-century Spanish Franciscan friar and historian mentioned teonanacatl in his extensive writings, intriguing 20th-century ethnopharmacologists and leading to a search for the identity of the mushroom.
In modern times, the potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in hallucinogenic mushrooms, have gained attention. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University confirmed in 2018 that psilocybin can be used medicinally to treat conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Additionally, microdosing, which involves taking less than 1.0 g of dried mushrooms, has become a popular technique for recreational use or self-medication for symptoms of depression.
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In 1955, Gordon Wasson documented an indigenous psychedelic mushroom ceremony
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom. They have been used for thousands of years, with rock art from around 9000–7000 BCE in Algeria believed to depict their use. They have also been represented in pre-Columbian sculptures and glyphs seen throughout the Americas.
In 1955, Robert Gordon Wasson, an American author, ethnomycologist, and Vice President for Public Relations at J.P. Morgan & Co., documented an indigenous psychedelic mushroom ceremony. Wasson had first become interested in mycology during his honeymoon in the Catskill Mountains in 1927, when his wife, Valentina Pavlovna Guercken, a pediatrician, began identifying and collecting mushrooms in the forest. Fascinated by the cultural differences in attitudes towards fungi, the couple began field research, which eventually led them to Mexico to study the religious use of mushrooms by the native population.
In June and July 1955, Wasson and New York society photographer Allan Richardson participated in a mushroom ritual with curandera Maria Sabina in the town of Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca. They became, in Wasson's words, "the first white men in recorded history to eat the divine mushrooms." After returning to the U.S., Wasson sent some of the mushrooms to Dr. Andrija Puharich, who identified the chemicals responsible for their hallucinogenic effects.
In 1957, Wasson published a photo essay in Life magazine titled "Seeking the Magic Mushroom," describing his experience taking psilocybin mushrooms during the Mazatec ritual in Oaxaca, Mexico. The essay was written in the first person and included photographs by Richardson and illustrations of several Psilocybe mushroom species collected and identified by French botanist Roger Heim. It introduced psychoactive mushrooms to a wide audience for the first time and influenced the nascent counterculture in the United States, leading many hippies and spiritual seekers to travel to Mexico in search of the mushrooms.
Wasson's work in the field of hallucinogenic mushrooms, funded by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), made significant contributions to ethnobotany, botany, and anthropology. His studies in ethnomycology and popularisation of magic mushrooms have had a lasting impact, with researchers continuing to explore the therapeutic potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy in the 21st century.
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In 1957, Wasson published an article on his experiences with magic mushrooms in Mexico
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 in ancient societies, with rock art from c. 9000–7000 BCE in Algeria possibly depicting psychedelic mushrooms and their effects on users. Similarly, prehistoric rock art in Spain and Australia may also suggest the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms thousands of years ago.
In the 1950s, an amateur mycologist named Gordon Wasson became the first modern Westerner to document an indigenous psychedelic mushroom ceremony in Mexico. Wasson later published his experiences in a 1957 article in Life magazine, introducing the concept of consciousness-expanding fungi to a wider audience. This sparked a global interest in magic mushrooms, with people like Timothy Leary, a counterculture and psychedelia icon, travelling to Mexico to experiment with these mushrooms.
Leary, upon returning to Harvard University, started the Harvard Psilocybin Project to conduct experiments based on psychedelic drugs. He believed that these drugs could lead to a higher state of consciousness. This attracted the attention of figures like Alan Ginsberg, a beat poet, who further popularised the use of magic mushrooms among celebrities and musicians.
In 1965, the "hippie movement", partly led by Leary, embraced the power of magic mushrooms. This movement threatened traditional societal values in America, leading President Richard Nixon to initiate the War on Drugs. As a result, psilocybin mushrooms were classified as a Schedule I substance, halting research on their potential therapeutic benefits.
Despite their illegal status, magic mushrooms continued to be used and studied. In recent years, researchers at institutions like Johns Hopkins University have explored the medicinal applications of psilocybin, finding potential in treating conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. These studies have contributed to the growing conversation around the decriminalisation and legalisation of psilocybin mushrooms in certain states.
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In 1960, Timothy Leary travelled to Mexico to try magic mushrooms for himself
In 1960, Timothy Leary, an American psychologist and author, travelled to Mexico to try magic mushrooms for himself. He was intrigued by a 1957 article in Life Magazine titled "Seeking the Magic Mushroom" by amateur mycologist Robert Gordon Wasson, who recounted his experience with an ancient indigenous ritual using "sacred mushrooms". Wasson's description of the effects, particularly visions, sparked Leary's interest. With the help of University of Mexico anthropologist Gerhardt Braun, Leary procured some mushrooms and embarked on a psychedelic trip. He described the experience as a "classic visionary voyage" from which he returned a "changed man".
Leary's encounter with magic mushrooms in Mexico marked a pivotal moment in his life and subsequent research. Upon his return to Harvard University, he started the Harvard Psilocybin Project to conduct experiments and prove his theory that drugs can lead to a higher state of consciousness. He believed that psychedelic drugs could offer insights and potentially lead to improved creativity and cognition. Leary's advocacy for psychedelic drugs, including LSD, made him a well-known figure in the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. He popularized catchphrases such as "turn on, tune in, drop out" and "think for yourself and question authority".
The experience with magic mushrooms in Mexico led Leary to shift his research focus to the effects of psilocybin, the compound identified by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann as responsible for the mushrooms' psychedelic effects. Hofmann also synthesized psilocybin, making it available for medical research. At Harvard, Leary investigated the potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin, including its use in aiding alcoholics and rehabilitating released prisoners. He conducted experiments such as the Concord Prison Experiment and the Marsh Chapel Experiment.
Leary's work with psilocybin and his belief in the potential of psychedelic drugs have had a lasting impact. While some of his experiments were criticized, his ideas about the benefits of small doses of psychedelics are gaining renewed interest in the field of microdosing. Today, researchers are exploring the medicinal value of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in treating conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The potential for psilocybin to be used medicinally has led to efforts towards decriminalization and a re-evaluation of its legal status.
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In 1970, magic mushrooms were made illegal in America
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom. They are a polyphyletic informal group of fungi that contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion. The most potent species are members of the genus Psilocybe, such as P. azurescens, P. semilanceata, and P. cyanescens.
Magic mushrooms have been used for thousands of years, dating back to prehistoric times. Rock art from around 9000–7000 BCE found in Tassili, Algeria, is believed to depict psychedelic mushrooms and their effects on users. In pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, native peoples used the mushrooms in religious rituals, divination, and healing. The Aztecs referred to the mushrooms as teonanacatl, or "god's flesh," and they were reportedly served at the coronation of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II in 1502.
In the 1950s, Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann, known as the "father" of LSD, was the first person to extract psilocybin from the mushrooms. In 1960, Timothy Leary, a counterculture and psychedelia icon, read an article on magic mushrooms and decided to try them himself in Mexico. He returned to Harvard University and started the Harvard Psilocybin Project to conduct experiments based on psychedelic drugs.
Despite their long history of use and potential therapeutic benefits, magic mushrooms were made illegal in the United States in 1970. On October 27, 1970, psilocybin and psilocin were classified as Schedule I drugs under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act, also known as the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Schedule I drugs are defined as illicit drugs with a high potential for abuse and no recognised medical use. This marked the beginning of America's War on Drugs.
The classification of magic mushrooms as Schedule I drugs contradicted psychedelic research from the 1950s through the 1970s, which suggested that mushrooms could be used to treat various conditions, including alcoholism, schizophrenia, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. Despite the prohibition, the use of magic mushrooms continued in America, and there has been a recent push for decriminalisation and legalisation in some states. In 2018, researchers at Johns Hopkins University confirmed the medicinal potential of magic mushrooms in treating conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. In 2019, Denver, Colorado, became the first American city to decriminalise the possession of magic mushrooms for personal use.
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Frequently asked questions
There is evidence of hallucinogenic mushroom usage as early as 9000–7000 BCE in Tassili, Algeria. However, the first modern Western documentation of an indigenous psychedelic mushroom ceremony occurred in 1955 when Gordon Wasson, an amateur mycologist, wrote about his experiences in Mexico.
Hallucinogenic mushrooms, also known as "magic mushrooms" or "shrooms," are fungi that contain the drug psilocybin. This drug induces hallucinations and an altered state of consciousness.
While it is incredibly difficult to overdose on psilocybin mushrooms due to their low toxicity, they can pose risks such as acute serotonin syndrome if consumed in extremely high quantities. Additionally, they may cause negative psychological effects in some individuals.
The effects of hallucinogenic mushrooms include hallucinations, an altered state of consciousness, and feelings of ecstasy. Some people also report therapeutic benefits such as alleviation of depression and anxiety symptoms. However, it's important to note that the effects of these mushrooms can be unpredictable and vary from person to person.
