In the last few years, there has been an uptick in research on the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics like psilocybin (the psychoactive compound in “microdose mushrooms toronto” that works similarly to LSD and causes hallucinations) to treat everything from addiction to anxiety to easing end-of-life fears for terminally ill patients. But despite all this interest, most scientists say it’s too early to say whether microdosing can actually help people. Until they do, psilocybin remains illegal. But that hasn’t stopped many people from turning to it to ease their troubles — or simply to feel more creative and productive at work.

Where to Find Microdose Mushrooms in Toronto

At the psilocybin shop called Microdose Mushroom Canada, a gray exterior masks a mosaic of psychedelia inside paintings of Incan gods spewing fire and lightning, shelves of hemp lip balm, stoner-centric comic books written by the store’s owner, Dana Larsen. The shop has been open since 2020, and a wave of mushroom shops have sprung up across Canada in the wake of a shift in drug policy and growing demand.

While it’s unlikely to produce a full-blown trip at the low doses typically used, the effects can be unpleasant and uncomfortable. And if you take too much, you could suffer from an allergic reaction or experience a “psychosis-inducing” trip that might lead to paranoia and anxiety.

But even though it’s illegal, some experts are urging caution, noting that the current era of decriminalization and legalization has made it all too easy for people to over-do it with new mood boosters. They also worry that a growing body of anecdotal evidence is creating a gap between popular opinion and scientific knowledge.