Dana Larsen’s Magic Mushroom Dispensery in Vancouver, Canada

Amid magic mushroom dispensary memorabilia, paintings of Incan gods spewing fire and lightning and shelves full of hemp lip balms, the interior of Dana Larsen’s magic mushroom dispensery is an intoxicating sight. The Vancouver shop has been open since 2020 and he plans to expand across Canada this year. It’s one of the dozen locations operated by Fun Guyz, which is taking advantage of growing scientific research and a legal gray area. The company’s spokesperson says it is engaging in “medical civil disobedience,” noting psilocybin isn’t just for recreation.

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Psilocybin is a Schedule III substance in Canada, but some people with mental health issues can obtain it through a physician for therapeutic use. But it’s still illegal to buy, grow and sell the mushrooms that contain it. This is creating an unofficial mushroom resale market in Canada where the federal government has chosen not to prosecute despite police raids of stores that peddle the drugs.

Customers come in and browse the assortment of dried, sliced and fried mushrooms, tinctures, gummies and drinks at Chillum. Some are newbies, others have a deeper connection with the plants and the healing power of psilocybin. Then there are people like Francis, who declined to give his last name. He has a severe head injury from a woodworking accident five years ago and microdoses mushrooms for pain management.

Fun Guyz expects more legal repercussions to come as a result of the recent raids in Windsor and London, Ontario, but for now they are open for business. “We’ve been around for three years, and we don’t plan on shutting down anytime soon,” the spokesperson said.