MAGIC MUSHROOMS
Us€ED FOR MEDICINE

The Voice does not promote the unsupervised use of
psychedelic mushrooms. Some may be poisonous. If
you are looking into using psychedelic mushrooms for
medicinal purposes, please seek a professional agency.

sychedelic mushrooms are
making headlines this year,
and research shows their
properties may help allevi-
ate anxiety, depression and addiction.

Sam Reeve, president of Vancou-
ver Mycological Society, said magic
mushroom research looks promising,
though more studies will be necessary
to confirm its effectiveness on differ-
ent people.

“Tt’s just going to be one more thing
in the toolbox for fighting areas of
mental illness,” Reeve said.

The Vancouver Mycological Soci-
ety, is a community of researchers and
enthusiasts who are passionate about
fungi, including mushrooms, their
biochemical properties, and their use
for traditional and modern medicine.

‘The society is open to discussing the

ushrooms hi

Studies on psychedelic fungi may

promising use of magic mushrooms for
medicinal purposes, but also empha-
sizes the risks of taking a hallucinogen.

Although she is pro-legalization,
Reeve said it’s important to use caution.

“Tt will be good that it’s a bit regu-
lated,” she said. “We don’t want people
selling things that are grown in unsafe
conditions.”

On Sunday, Oct. 20, the VMS
hosted their 40th Annual Fall Mush-
room Show at the VanDusen Botani-
cal Garden.

The show included interactive
displays of mushrooms, vendors, and
several in-depth presentations on
mushroom subtopics.

One of the speakers at the show was
Paul Kroeger, a founder of the VMS
and prominent B.C. mycologist, who
gave a talk on psilocybin, the chemical

TOP LEFT: A group of Psilocybe pelliculosa sprouting on a forest floor. These

mushrooms are almost exclusively found in British Columbia. courTesy oF
MUSHROOMOBSERVER.ORG

TOP MIDDLE: Alan Rockefeller extends his hand to show his gathering of
Psilocybe quebecensis. These moderately active mushrooms are native to
Quebec (hence the namesake). courtesy OF MUSHROOMOBSERVER.ORG

TOP RIGHT: Large specimens of Amanite muscaria (Fly
agaric) are laid out on a observational booth at the
40th Annual Fall Mushroom Show at VanDusen Botani-
cal Garden in Vancouver, B.C. These mushrooms are
arguably the most universally recognized mushroom,

used frequently across pop culture. PHOTO BY KRISTEN
HOLLIDAY

BOTTOM LEFT: A healthy patch of Psilocybe semilanceata (Angel Cap) grows
in a patch of wet grass. Many magic mushroom users label it the most "user
friendly" of them all. courTESY oF MUSHROOMOBSERVER.ORG

BOTTOM MIDDLE: VMS president Sam Reeve proudly holds up one of dozens
of mushroom specimens at the 40th Annual Fall Mushroom Show at VanDusen
Botanical Garden in Vancouver, B.C. The specific mushroom she is holding is
a Leucopaxillus septentrionalis (giant leucopax). PHOTO BY KRISTEN HOLLIDAY