The Fascinating History and Healing Powers of Magic Mushrooms
Although they have been federally banned in the United States since 1970, psychedelic mushrooms (a.k.a. magic mushrooms) have been proven to combat addiction, improve mental health, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Magic mushrooms are a special type of fungi which contain a particular chemical compound known as psilocybin, which allows the mushrooms to produce feelings of euphoria and hallucinations. In the U.S., magic mushrooms are classified as a Schedule 1 drug, the same category as heroin and methamphetamine. The federal government views all psychedelic drugs as dangerous and harmful, including magic mushrooms, despite the research on the endless mental and medical benefits of these drugs. So why does the federal government want to keep these drugs illegal?
Long before western civilization first had contact with these mushrooms in the 1950s, indigenous tribes all over the world had been using these special mushrooms. Magic mushrooms were used frequently in indiginous cultures of Central and South America, which is shown by paintings and sculptures from these individual societies. In these cultures, magic mushrooms were used in sacred religious ceremonies for healing divination purposes. After the Americas were colonized, indigenous people began hiding their sacred rituals because the Catholic church considered these practices as “satanic” and “demonic,” which is where the stigma surrounding psychedelics began. This outdated stigma is still largely in play today, and is definitely a contributing factor to the illegality of magic mushrooms.
The main focus of the recent research surrounding magic mushrooms is how this fungus can help combat addiction, improve mental health, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Several studies were conducted by Johns Hopkins University regarding the mushrooms’ ability to fight addiction and symptoms of depression.
The first study conducted found that psilocybin therapy significantly improved subjects’ abstinence from smoking throughout a 12-month trial, but it is believed that it could treat additional substance abuse disorders as well. The head of this study, Matthew Johnson, believes the nature of these disorders are narrowed mental and behavioral habits. In properly orchestrated sessions, psilocybin can essentially force someone out of their routine by providing a glimpse of a larger picture, allowing people to step outside of their own problems. The psilocybin chemicals ultimately force the brain to function with less resistance and more open-mindedness, which curbs their overall desire for these substances.
In another study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, it was found that giving two doses of psilocybin to a group of adults with major depression produced rapid reductions in their depressive symptoms. Half of the participants even achieved remission after the four-week follow up. This study led to the discovery that psilocybin treatment significantly decreased levels of anxiety and depression in people with a life-threatening diagnosis, as well as people fighting anxiety and depression on a day to day basis.
If magic mushrooms are able to help so many people and have so many benefits, why does the federal government want to keep them illegal? The Drug Enforcement Administration claims that all Schedule 1 drugs, including magic mushrooms, have a “higher potential for abuse and the potential to form severe dependence,” despite the National Center for Biotechnology Information deeming these mushrooms as “physiologically safe and not known to cause any dependence or addiction.”
There are many different theories surrounding the illegality of magic mushrooms, and a lot of it stems from the stigma surrounding psychedelics overall. It is incredibly possible that psychedelics are still illegal in the U.S. because our government fears higher thinking and the ability to discover that everything you thought you knew is wrong. Psilocybin allows for people to expand their views on life and experience transformative thinking, which is something our government is clearly against. By keeping magic mushrooms illegal, the U.S. government is keeping their citizens from reaping the many mental and medical benefits, as well as preventing them from discovering a higher level of thinking and understanding.