What are Magic Mushroom Edibles?

Magic Mushroom edibles are being sold in smoke shops and gas stations across the country as well as online stores. If they were actually made from magic mushrooms, aka psilocybin, this would be highly illegal. Psilocybin is classified as a schedule I substance, meaning it is considered by the federal government to be dangerous while having zero medical benefits. In other words, it is illegal to buy/sell or possess. Unless you live in a few select cities (see below), the possession of psilocybin mushrooms remains illegal. So what are these magic mushroom edibles actually made of if they don’t contain psilocybin? It depends on the brand formulation. Let’s look at a couple brands and see what we find.

Places where Psilocybin is either decriminalized or legal

• Seattle, WA 

• Ann Arbor, MI

• Berkeley, CA

• Oakland, CA

• Santa Cruz, CA

• San Francisco, CA 

• Somerville, MA

• Cambridge, MA

• Oregon

• Washington DC

• Colorado

TreHouse

I first started researching for this article after we sampled TreHouse Magic Mushroom gummies for our Cactus Approved section. I was curious how psilocybin “magic” mushrooms had been brought to the legal market. Well, it turns out that the mushrooms used weren’t “magic”. On their website, they listed the ingredients of their proprietary mushroom blend, which now appears to be missing from their website. At the time, I remember feeling good about the safety of the blend, one of the ingredients I remember listed was lion’s mane extract. The ingredients were all natural and generally considered non-toxic. The website now only lists the ingredients as follows:

Tapioca Syrup, Cane Sugar, Pectin, Sodium Citrate, Distilled Water, Natural Flavor, Proprietary Mushroom Blend, Natural Colors, Citric Acid Solution

They’ve also added a section in their FAQ to assure consumers that their gummies contain no psilocybin or amanita muscaria. My guess is that they are protecting their blend from copycats, but this is only an optimistic theory. 

They do provide lab results for their most recent batches, which confirm the lack of these substances. However, the lab results also show a detectable amount of heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic, though they are under the legal limit. Mushrooms are known to absorb chemicals and heavy metals from their environment, so this should be considered when looking at the labs for these types of edibles.

One more detail from the TreHouse website is that they say that their product should not be ingested unless recommended by a doctor. They also warn against reactions with other medications and treatments. Since the active ingredients aren’t listed, there is really no way of knowing if you will have a negative reaction. This is a bit concerning for me, but at least they have this verbiage on their website. Many other shroom edibles don’t say anything of the sort.

Diamond Shruumz

Recently, mushroom edibles marketed under the name Diamond Shruumz were recalled because they were making people sick. According to the FDA investigation, the chocolates contained inconsistent amounts of Muscimol, the toxin found in the Amanita muscaria mushroom, the red one with white dots that we all know to be super poisonous. When ingested in controlled amounts, this toxin produces a psychotropic high that can be quite pleasant. But in larger amounts, it can induce vomiting and/or dizziness and in severe cases, seizure, coma and even death.

I find several problems with these edibles. First, they imply psilocybin mushrooms with the artwork and use of terms like shruumz and microdosing. Second, though they say to start with a little dose and later work your way up, they do not indicate that over consumption could lead to such serious side effects. Third, they don’t disclose the active ingredients in the edibles, leaving out the fact that they contain a known toxin as one of their psychoactive ingredients. Fourth, according to their lab reports, their edibles contain detectable levels of heavy metals. Lastly, they do specify that these edibles contain no psilocybin, but in doing so they actually lessen the perceived risk of overconsuming the edible. Their marketing is a little confusing as they say no psychedelics are used, but you’ll still get high. What does this even mean? “Rest assured, our treats are not only free from psychedelic substances but also have carefully crafted ingredients that still offer an experience. This allows you to indulge in a uniquely crafted blend designed for pleasure and peace of mind.”

Final Thoughts

Is it ethical to sell a product under the name “magic mushroom” or “shruumz” considering we all associate that with psilocybin mushrooms? I guess it depends. Are they clearly telling you what is inside the edibles? Are they being transparent about the lack of psilocybin? Is the package indicating ingredients that aren’t in the edibles? Are the effects purported to be those of psychedelic mushrooms? Are lab results provided? One might argue that all mushrooms are magical, as they contain chemicals that are supposed to encourage health and wellness. One might argue that it’s obvious that these products don’t contain psilocybin and are not intended to make you feel a psychedelic high. In my opinion, It really depends on the brand in question and how their marketing is executed. 

The bottom line is simple, edibles marketed with names like shroom buzz words, regardless of the spelling, should be taken with caution. Do your research and if the product doesn’t fulfill your criteria for a safe edible, don’t consume it. If you do intend to consume such a product, use the same rule of thumb as for cannabis edibles - start with a small amount and wait to see how it affects you.