What are Magic Mushrooms?

March 19, 2024 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, Drug Charges Social Share

Psilocybin is a form of a psychedelic, which is considered a drug that is known for its ability to alter perception, cognition, and mood. The classic forms of psychedelics include lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline, and psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin).

Psilocybin mushrooms, shrooms, or “Magic Mushrooms” are certain types of fresh or dried mushrooms that are found in the United States, Mexico, and Central America. When ingested, the effects of psilocybin chemicals within the mushrooms can cause psychological effects such as hallucinations.

It’s worth noting that not all mushrooms contain psilocybin. However, the mushrooms that do contain the chemical psilocybin appear to have long, slender stems with caps on top and “dark gills on the underside.” Fresh psilocybin mushrooms often have white or white and gray stems, whereas dried psilocybin mushrooms are rusty brown with isolated areas of white.

Psilocybin and Mushrooms’ Effects

Magic mushrooms can be consumed either on their own or digested through tea or other food. The quantity or “dose” a person ingests plays a crucial role in how the hallucinogen affects them. Other factors such as how much a person has eaten that day, their overall body mass index, and their water content can all affect the psilocybin’s effects.

The effects of psilocybin can start to appear as soon as 10 minutes after ingesting and can last between 3 – 12 hours. Magic mushrooms are known to cause hallucinations and distortions to a person’s reality. Other common effects of shrooms include:

• Visual and/or auditory hallucinations;
• Altered thoughts;
• Increased or slowed heart rate;
• Raised body temperature;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Sweating;
• Chills;
• Facial flushing;
• Dilation of the pupils;
• Tremors;
• Headache;
• Anxiety;
• Exhaustion; and

In recent years, more research has been conducted for the renewed interest in psilocybin and its potential benefits for treating certain psychiatric disorders and other conditions.

Due to the agonistic (activating) nature of psilocybin on serotonin receptors, it can immediately effect a person’s mood. This has led many who have experienced its effects to describe it as “euphoric.” These effects can even be accomplished in smaller doses of mushrooms, resulting in a mood boost without hallucinations or the full intensity of its effects. Due to these findings, more is being researched on psilocybin as an alternative to antidepressants. Some think psilocybin could completely replace SSRIs as a treatment to depression.

Legality of Mushrooms 

Psilocybin mushrooms, or “Magic Mushrooms” are considered a Schedule I drug under the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Schedule I drugs are considered to have no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

However, continued research shows that psilocybin is neither of these. Considered as one of the most researched psychedelics, psilocybin has been shown through clinical studies to have better results in the medical treatment of depression compared to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) like Prozac without many of the negative side effects that are common throughout antidepressants.

Reasons why psilocybin should be declassified as a Schedule I drug include:

• Psilocybin is unlikely to cause addiction after use, due to the lack of physical dependency or cravings that come with ingesting mushrooms;
• Resistance to psilocybin is built extremely quick after ingesting it;
• Psilocybin has a potential use for combatting addiction to addictive substances such as nicotine or alcohol dependency; and
• Psilocybin has also been researched on its potential to cure or prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.

However, the massive roadblock that stands in the way of using psilocybin to its full potential remains the strict legal implications that arise for even possessing magic mushrooms. The state of Florida has different criminal charges for a person accused of possessing psilocybin. The exact penalties will depend on the quantity alleged in the defendant’s possession.

The possession of magic mushrooms in Florida is a third-degree felony, punishable with up to a $5,000 fine and up to five (5) years in prison.

The possession of magic mushrooms with the intent to sell or distribute in Florida is a third-degree felony or a second-degree felony if it takes place within 1,000 feet of any school, home residence, place of worship, or secondary school. A second-degree felony is punishable with up to a $10,000 fine and up to 15 years in prison.

There is still so much work to be done on the studies of psilocybin and how it can impact the human body. Magic mushrooms appear to be an option to bridge the gap between our outdated understanding of the brain and how to keep it healthier for much longer. This is why the declassification of psilocybin should be pushed, so less people are penalized for a substance that may be able to cause more good than harm.

However, if you or a loved one has been arrested for the illegal possession of magic mushrooms you should consider hiring legal counsel. A defense attorney who understands Florida drug charges can help you understand the charges against you and strategize a defense plan.

Contact Pumphrey Law Firm

The defense lawyers at Pumphrey Law Firm do not believe that people should be criminally convicted for the possession of psilocybin. However, until the substance is moved as a Schedule I substance, it is important to know your legal options when faced with the consequences of possessing a Schedule I substance in Florida. A drug conviction can come with consequences extending further than just the statutory fines and sentencing. You will want a legal defense team who is prepared to aggressively fight for your freedom. Contact the law office of Pumphrey Law Firm today at (850) 681-7777 or fill out a form to schedule your free consultation.

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