Welcome to the Shroom Boom
welcome to the shroom boom
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welcome to the shroom boom -
How Shroom Gummies are Popping up Ev-e-rywhere
It seemed like everyone and their sister was starting a CBD gummy business. Now, alternative medicine companies are stocking their inventory with mushroom gummies. Before you pledge your loyalty to D.A.R.E. and say no to drugs, remember that not all of these fungi have psychedelic magic.
In this article, we’ll talk about the types of mushroom gummies on the market, their effects, their legality, and a few ways to get your hands on them.
welcome to the shroom boom
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welcome to the shroom boom -
The skinny on shroom gummies
In the simplest of definitions, shroom gummies are chewy treats that are made with mushrooms or their extracts. They often come in nickel-sized, fruit-flavored gummies. Shroom gummies can be made with medicinal mushrooms like lion’s mane and cordyceps or –and this is a major or– they can be made with shrooms that contain psilocybin and have psychoactive effects, aka magic mushrooms.
History of use in California
Interest in magic mushrooms exploded after R. Gordon Wasson, journalist and mushroom specialist, wrote a piece in Life in 1957. He detailed his physical and psychedelic trip to Oaxaca, Mexico with the Mazatec indigenous community. After publication, people on the West Coast flooded to Southern Mexico in hopes of recreating Wasson’s spiritual voyage.
Legality has not prevented people from seeking and participating in these ceremonies. Today, psychedelic guides are available for hire in California. They are trained to create a safe space for magic mushroom consumption and maximize the healing benefits.
What the law says
Magic mushrooms are still illegal in most of California. You cannot legally possess psilocybin fungi or its spores. Getting caught with a “personal use amount,” i.e. not enough to distribute, is considered a misdemeanor and punishable with community service, fines, probation, or up to 12 months in jail.
Don’t give up your psychedelic dreams just yet, there are exceptions. At the time of writing, Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Berkeley have all decriminalized the possession and use of magic mushrooms and other psychoactive fungi and plants.
Psilocybin-containing candy bars and gummies are sold in smoke shops across the cities. But, here’s where things get tricky. Selling these products is still considered illegal under the California Health and Safety Code. So while owning and consuming candy bars is legal, purchasing them blurs the lines. If you do visit for a recreational mushroom trip, do so discreetly. And remember, it's still illegal under federal and state law so enjoy the treats within city limits.
But it’s not just about psychedelic anymore. Functional mushrooms brands are popping up for all every mood, purpose, and ailment you can think of, in branding that’s as far from psychedelic stoner culture as you can get.
Types of shroom gummies & their effects
Regardless of whether you buy gummies with non-psychoactive mushrooms or those with psilocybin, both claim to positively alter moods. Choose products based on the mushroom and the intended benefits. Look for something with Lion’s mane if you want better focus. These mushrooms can also strengthen brain cells and have shown reduced depression and anxiety in animal subjects.
Medicinal mushrooms
Gummies with reishi will aim to increase energy and boost your immune system while turkey tail mushrooms are packed with antioxidants and prebiotics that can improve your digestive health. These shrooms might not make you high but feeling focused, less anxious, energized, and having regular bowel movements can boost anyone’s mood.
Magic mushrooms
If you are looking for a psychedelic experience, FDA research studies involving subjects taking magic mushrooms have promising results. These fungi may help with mental health issues such as PTSD or depression and can improve substance abuse disorders.
A word of caution
It is highly, highly, highly discouraged to take a “heroic dose” of mushrooms for your first trip or alone. You’re messing with hallucinogens and will see objects transform and merge with others. Toss your sense of time and reality out the window and expect out-of-body experiences. Sure, this sounds like a good time until the shrooms make you think your houseplant grew a knife and is ready to stab you. Pro tip: have a trusted friend or guide with you to help through the trip’s rough parts.
Where to find them in LA
Now that we’ve piqued your interests, let’s talk about purchasing shrooms. You can get your hands on these magic gummies through The Mushy Girls, a woman-owned and operated dispensary that delivers shroom gummies to your door. They sell packs of 8 gummies with 0.5 g of psychedelic mushrooms per serving. This is enough for a microdose that they claim offers therapeutic benefits without any intense side effects. Choose from blueberry, pineapple, or fruit punch.
The New Kids on the Block
Meet four brands offering non-psychoactive, medicinal mushroom products.
Clarabe
Clarabe has gummies packed with 25 mg of Cordyceps-extract that are meant to boost your energy levels, improve mood, increase focus, and put you into a flow state. The strawberry-flavored jellies also give thumbs up to vegan, gluten-free, and paleo diets. Clarabe also has a tincture with the same serving of Cordyceps if you’d rather drink your mushrooms.
Mojo
Choose from regular or extra-strength brain-boosting gummies at Mojo. They blend lion’s mane and cordyceps with ginseng and the amino acid l-theanine. Both options come in a fruity strawberry-tangerine with the extra strength having twice as many milligrams of their mushroom, clarity, and energy blend. Use these for productivity, mental clarity, and positive vibes.
Alice Mushrooms
Maybe you want something more indulgent than a chewy candy. Alice Mushrooms offers two chocolate-mushroom products, one for daytime use and the other before bed. Brainstorm is a naturally caffeinated (66 mg per serving) chocolate that uses lion’s mane and cordyceps for maximum focus. Nightcap is more of a chocolate lullaby with a melatonin-free product that uses reishi and chamomile to ease you to sleep.
HRBLS
HRBLS has two medicinal mushroom products meant to improve your well-being. The Cordyceps extract in Everyday Endurance has recovery, circulation, and performance-enhancing properties. They also have Happy Hour for presale. This herbal blend contains reishi, rose, poppy, and other feel-good ingredients. It’s meant to give you a natural buzz without the alcohol and a sprinkle of joy to your day.
The Bottom Line
Mushrooms are nature’s medicine. Eating them in a gummy form can maximize your productivity or energy levels and boost the immune system. If you’re looking for a more therapeutic experience to tackle mental health issues, magic mushrooms work too. Just keep in mind that it’s illegal in most of California. Four cities have decriminalized the use and possession of psychedelics but it's not legal to sell them. As with any mind-altering substances, stay safe and use them responsibly.
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