Psilocybin
Not the shrooms you put on Pizza
What is Psilocybin? What does it do?
Psilocybin is a chemical found in some types of mushrooms. They are a schedule 1 hallucinogenic drug that are eaten or mixed with other food or drink.
What happens when you take Shrooms?
It is used to cause hallucinations and to not allow the body to differentiate between fantasy and reality, much like schizophrenia. Psychosis and panic attacks may also happen if the user takes enough of the drug. Shrooms may also cause nausea, vomiting, and generally weakened muscles.
How can I get my hands on Shrooms? Are they expensive?
Shrooms containing Psilocybin are banned worldwide, though people smuggle them from Mexico, South America, and some are even grown in the US. They go on the black market for up to $120 for an ounce.
Legislation and Prevalence of use
Psilocybin has been outlawed and illegalized since before colonial times and has not changed since then. At it's discovery it was attempted to be used for medical purposes, but none were found. In 1970 it was deemed a schedule 1 drug per the Controlled Substances Act. About 32 million people in the US have tried or often use these "magic mushrooms."
Addiction and Treatment
The DEA reports that psilocybin is not an addictive drug and those who take it do not become dependent nor go through withdrawal after quitting excepting the few days after using psilocybin. Though people will continue taking them because they like the trip, they could quit whenever they want. There are support groups as well as paid rehabilitation to help people to stop using drugs such as psilocybin; though when it comes to this drug, most people pull away from the drug by themselves.