The New Love Affair

MICRO-DOSING MUSHROOMS

The new Love Affair

WRITTEN BY: NATE ELISAH

Yea Yea I know… You are probably thinking “Aye, I thought this was a weed magazine?” But in a forever changing and growing world, scientists, doctors, and even patients are finding new ways to deal with and improve mental health. Even with all the beneficial factors that come with doing cannabis, some may feel that psychedelics are the way to go when dealing with anxiety, depression, and any if not all mental illnesses. Just like my column back in 2021 talking about Delta-8 THC bans, psychedelics at the moment are not legal in most states but are starting to stir up some buzz in the medical world. This is due to research and studies of those who prefer psychedelics over cannabis and those who are suffering from anxiety and depression after a life-changing pandemic that affected a lot of people’s mental health. In this article, we’ll be diving into the pros and cons of microdosing or even taking sufficient amounts of “magic mushrooms” for medical purposes and the reasons that states are considering the legalization of shrooms.

First, what are psychedelic mushrooms? and how do they affect the human brain? Well according to MyHealthAlerta.Ca, ​” Magic mushrooms (also called shrooms or mushrooms) are a type of mushroom that contains the drugs psilocybin or psilocin. These drugs cause hallucinations.” The website then goes on to say that “you can feel the effects of mushrooms in about 30 minutes and they last about 3 to 6 hours. The effects are strongest (the peak) during the first 3 to 4 hours.

Mushrooms can change the way you see, smell, hear, taste, and touch (e.g., you might think you can see music or hear colors). Your body might feel very heavy or very light. You might feel like you are having a magical or religious experience while taking mushrooms, with this all said, this has the effect of taking a significant amount of mushrooms. According to the New York Times, Psilocybin can cause distressing hallucinations or feelings of panic and anxiety in some patients, especially at high doses, You can’t be guaranteed safety standards. Those who don't normally take or even like the feel of psychedelics may find microdose shrooms to have a different effect that's not so extreme to the mind.

According to Insider.com “Microdosing" is a term referring to the practice of taking small doses of a drug such as mushrooms. A microdose is typically about one-tenth of a recreational dose” Microding brings the overall effect of psychedelics to a tenth of the high, making it just the right amount to relieve or help with mental problems. Psilocybin — the psychedelic compound in mushrooms — is considered a Schedule I substance. The psilocybin in mushrooms binds to and stimulates serotonin 2A receptors in the brain.

In high doses, it can cause effects such as An altered state of mind,

Altered sensory perception, and previously said, hallucinations.” Also since shrooms are a “schedule I substance”, means the government has deemed it illegal with a strong potential for abuse.

Also since shrooms are a “schedule I substance”, means the government has deemed it illegal with a strong potential for abuse.

But this may not be the case forever as the legalization of psychedelics is becoming a reality to some and maybe soon to most.

Insight from CNBC states that “Oregon has recently become the first state to legalize the active ingredient in so-called magic mushrooms on an election night and saw that more states ease restrictions on recreational drugs across the country.” CNBC then goes on to say that “Oregon’s Measure 109 will give legal access to psilocybin, the main active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” for mental health treatment in supervised settings, the measure was passed with 55.8% support and over 2 million votes cast”, according to Oregon’s Secretary of State. With this said, the potential for national influence is possible as the talks of legislation of any form of psychedelics are being held by drug eased restricted state governments across the nation.

So there you have it, people around you are going to slowly start living that Scooby and Shaggy hippie life like it's the 80s and end each sentence with “man” and talk about love and world peace all due to the fungi… As funny as that would be, we have to put all jokes aside and think, maybe this is the beginning of a great thing?

A great thing for the American people,

A

great

thing

for

patients, and overall a great

thing for society as a whole.

Mental illness is not a joke and

needs to be dealt with soon.

Depression

and

anxiety

are

creativity killers and we lose so

many people every day of the

year

due

to

these

mental

illnesses.

If

psychedelics

and

microdose

psilocybin

are

the

best and current answer to this

issue

with

majority

positive

feedback on the drug, would it

not be in our best interest to

research more on psychedelics

for

possible

legalization

of

psychedelic

treatments

for

patients?

Ponder this question medical enthusiasts and like the Shroom told the hitchhiking hippie… Have a nice TRIP!