In the past, Magic Mushrooms Canada pickers risked arrest for their work, but now they’re picking for both fun and profit. These small, slender mushrooms (Psilocybe semilanceata) are known as “magic mushrooms” and contain psilocybin, which has hallucinogenic properties.

The fungi have become popular in recent years after counterculture movement promoted recreational use and government restrictions led to reduced research. Renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin has sparked more research, and Health Canada has granted special exemptions for medical use.

But despite the increased demand, it remains illegal to grow or sell them in Canada. And the legal barriers mean most people have to travel to Vancouver to access a mushroom shop. And for those who can’t, there are online retailers that offer a variety of packages to help them get their fix.

Magic Mushrooms Canada: Legalities, Benefits, and Where to Buy

CBC took a tour of one such business, the Filament Health headquarters in Vancouver’s industrial district. There, a woman named Emily Lloyd explains how the company turns psilocybin mushrooms into capsules for sale to clients who want a controlled dose of the drug without the trip.

While the influx of mushroom shops in cities across the country has brought attention to psychedelics, it’s unclear whether this will lead to changes in policy or law. But University of Guelph sociologist Andrew Hathaway says this awareness is stimulating discussion around taking a public health approach to drugs like magic mushrooms. In the meantime, he’s encouraging people to “be more responsible” if they decide to take the drug.