Microdose Mushrooms Canada is Booming Among Entrepreneurs and Scientists
TORONTO — Despite being illegal in microdose mushrooms canada, microdoses of magic mushrooms are booming among entrepreneurs and scientists alike. Entrepreneurs are opening online mushroom shops, while research teams are using the psychedelic drug to study its potential as an antidepressant.
A few years ago, Health Canada began allowing doctors to request permission to use psilocybin—the psychoactive component in “magic mushrooms”—for research on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression. This type of randomized clinical trial involves administering a controlled dose of a drug to participants, while also providing them with psychotherapy sessions led by a trained psychotherapist.
Nature’s Bounty: Buying Mushrooms Online in Canada
But the government’s approval process is slow and opaque, says Dana Larsen, whose Medicinal Mushroom Dispensary in Vancouver sells psilocybin capsules for people to microdose at home. He’s pushed boundaries before—he’s run cannabis stores and embarked on a country-wide campaign in 2016 giving out 5 million marijuana seeds.
The psilocybin capsules are only about 10 per cent of the strength of a full dose, which can cause hallucinations. But the capsules are enough to boost mood, increase social connection and improve functioning. Several studies suggest the mood-enhancing effects of psilocybin are comparable to antidepressants.
The psilocybin research is the latest in a resurgence of interest in psychedelics, which first emerged in the 1960s as a tool to address psychological trauma and addictions. In the last five years, studies have resurrected as more researchers gain approval to study the drugs in combination with psychotherapy. The federal government has invested in the research to study how psilocybin can be used to treat depression, along with other mental health and substance-use disorders.
