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Section TitleDrugs & Alcohol
  • Drug Use & Abuse
    • Hallucinogens
      • Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
      • Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
      • Phencyclidine (PCP)
      • Peyote
      • Psilocybin
    Main content

    Psilocybin

    Psilocybin is a chemical obtained from certain mushrooms found in Mexico and Central America.

    • Street Names
    • How is it taken?
    • What are the effects?
    • What are the dangers?
    • Is it addictive?

    Street Names

    Psilocybin is also known as:

    • "Magic mushrooms"
    • "Shrooms"

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    How is it taken?

    • Eaten raw
    • Cooked in food
    • Brewed in tea
    • Dried and ingested

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    What are the effects?

    • Psilocybin may induce sensory hallucinations and intense feelings (including personal and spiritual insights).
    • It can cause nausea when first ingested.
    • Its effects last five to six hours.

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    What are the dangers?

    • Psilocybin is often fake (such as supermarket mushrooms laced with LSD or toxic mushrooms, which can lead to permanent liver damage or death).
    • Death, if you eat the wrong mushrooms (some poisonous mushrooms look similar to "shrooms").
    • Psilocybin can cause stomach pains and diarrhea.
    • Bad trips occur and are often very scary.
    • Psilocybin is illegal to possess in the United States.

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    Is it addictive?

    It is not considered an addictive drug like cocaine, heroin, or alcohol because it does not produce the same compulsive drug-seeking behavior.

    However, like addictive drugs, it produces greater tolerance in some users who take the drug repeatedly. These users must take higher doses to achieve the same results as they have had in the past.

    This could be an extremely dangerous practice because of the unpredictability of the drug effect on an individual.

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    Written By: Teens participating in the Summer Wellness Programs

    Reviewed By: Nancy Brown, Ph.D.
    Last Reviewed: October 2013

    Sources:
    Below are links PAMF accessed when researching this topic. PAMF does not sponsor or endorse any of these sites, nor does PAMF guarantee the accuracy of the information contained on them.

    The Science Behind Drug Abuse, National Institute on Drug Abuse.

    Psilocybin Drug Facts, [PDF] U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
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