How Much Do Shrooms Cost, And Can You Buy Them Legally?

• By Karla Tafra
• This post is approved by mycologist Caine Barlow
• February 7, 2022January 19, 2023
• magic mushrooms Psilocybin Articles psilocybin mushrooms psychedelics
• With 4 comments

The questions about psychedelics seem to be growing each day. With emerging research and different approaches taken by countries worldwide, it comes as no surprise that one of these questions concerns cost. Specifically when it comes to magic mushrooms. So, how much do shrooms cost?

You’re probably already assuming that the answer isn’t universal. Here’s why.

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Magic Mushrooms

One of the most popular and sought after psychedelics are magic mushrooms. Due to the naturally occurring hallucinogenic compound psilocybin, taking them in their raw or dried form can elicit sensory and visual distortions, also known as hallucinations.

From pure curiosity and partying, magic mushrooms have grown into a full-blown medicine alternative for those who are suffering from a number of mental health issues. Unfortunately, today’s tools for fighting depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other disorders aren’t really working for a large number of people. This is where psychedelics come in and offer life-changing solutions which could potentially be the key to healing.

After the news of their efficiency came out and spread like fire, it was hard not to imagine the spike in curiosity amongst the general public. And even though the legal status of magic mushrooms hasn’t really been welcoming, people have started taking things into their own hands and even growing the shrooms themselves.

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How Much Do Shrooms Cost, And Where Can You Buy Them?

Except for foraging, growing them yourself is always going to be the cheapest option as purchasing magic mushroom spores will cost you around $15-$20. Doing it yourself will make you produce more than 100 times the quantity of mushrooms compared to buying them from a dealer.

If you wish to purchase it from a dealer, the cost is about $20-$40 for an eighth of an ounce, $100 for a half an ounce, and $200 for an ounce. The price point still depends on a variety of different factors such as the part of the country, demand, dosage, mushroom strain, and alleged quality.

The ultimate cost will also depend on how much you wish to purchase, of course, and how quickly you intend to go through your batch. Knowing your shrooms dosage can help calculate your spending prior to even approaching a seller.

On the large scale of things, DIY is a lot cheaper. Still, a dealer is a dealer… and buying it even from the most reputable one definitely isn’t legal. Or particularly safe.

The illegal status of magic mushrooms which still classifies them under Schedule I of the controlled substances act makes their sourcing and selling unregulated and unsupervised. This means there’s no way to actually know what’s in the product. Unless you have it tested yourself.

That said, the psychedelic (and cannabis) community is huge. In fact, there are many forums online where people help those seeking high-quality shrooms.

RELATED: A Guide To Vancouver’s Magic Mushroom Dispensaries

How Much Do Shrooms Cost At Dispensaries?

Yes, psilocybin dispensaries do exist. But does that make them legal? Not quite.

Dana Larsen, the founder of The Medicinal Mushroom Dispensary, has been in the cannabis business for over 30 year. With psychedelics booming, he wanted to get ahead and be the first in Canada to open a dispensary. Although not technically legal, Larsen’s dispensary is continuing to operate. And with his history of activism and founding the Vancouver Seed Bank — an online dispensary for cannabis, peyote, and coca seeds — he’s eager to challenge the law.

In order to get the shrooms from Larsen’s dispensary, a patient must provide official proof of a medical diagnosis that would justify psilocybin treatment, sign up for something similar to a member service, and pay a $100 CAD membership fee. With it, they will receive tailored microdoses of psilocybin with instructions on the recommended dose. These are based on the individual patient’s needs and previous experience with psychedelics.

Psilocybin gets delivered in capsules, with the shrooms cost between $4 to $7 CAD. Each shroom contains 25mg, 50mg or 100mg of dried Golden Teachers mushrooms. These mix with spirulina — which is an algae that’s high in antioxidants and protein.

This approach has become popular, with Larsen reporting hundreds of patients in the first two weeks. He has big plans ahead, with ideas of opening a safe consumption space, where patients requiring higher doses receive therapeutic treatment. This next step will have to involve changes in the legal status, but Larsen believes he’ll be successful.

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Legal Hurdles

Under the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CSDA), shrooms are still currently illegal. This means their use, possession, selling, and dispensing is illegal without exemption under Section 56.

This provision gives “the power to the Minister of Health to exempt persons, controlled substances or precursors from the application of any provisions of the CDSA or its regulations for a scientific or medical purpose, or for a purpose that is otherwise in the public interest.”

Larsen isn’t even interested in the exemption. His goal is to decriminalize psychedelics without having to enforce specific exemptions in the first place. Larsen believes following cannabis laws (which yielded a positive result) is the only way to go.

A team of seven therapists, known as TheraPsil, is working hard to obtain the Section 56 exemption. On their website, the group invites people to take action for change. The hope is to make “psilocybin therapy a safe, regulated and accessible treatment option in Canada.”

Psilocybin is currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials, but it will take a few years to complete. Should researchers succeed in their efforts, therapy would only be available with treatment-resistant patients.

However, it’s a step in the right direction. And, currently, each step counts as a win.

RELATED: Where Are Psychedelics Legal Around the Globe? Here’s Everything You Need To Know

In Conclusion

So, how much do shrooms cost? Right now, there is no legal way to pay for them. And, while shrooms’ costs online are consistent with the black market, unfortunately, it isn’t legal to buy them.

Still, hope remains that with growing demand and a push from researchers and activists, the situation will soon change.

Disclaimer: We do not endorse the illicit use of Schedule 1 psychedelic compounds in a non-therapeutic setting. We do, however, hope the regulations look at the research to understand how these drugs can used in powerfully positive ways.