Are Amanita Muscaria Mushrooms Legal? A Country-by-Country Deep Dive!

Amanita muscaria, the mushroom that appears in many fairytales from around the world, produces euphoric and/or relaxing effects when it's properly prepared and ingested. But is the famous shroom actually legal where you live?

You might be surprised to learn that Fly Agaric (the common name for Amanita muscaria) mushrooms are legal in some corners of the planet! And we're going to explore each one to help you understand the legislation surrounding its consumption for your state or country.

Are Amanita Muscaria Mushrooms Legal?

These mushrooms probably aren't the first shroom you think about when someone says "magic mushrooms." After all, they don't contain psilocybin or psilocin, which produce psychedelic effects and are considered class A drugs in most areas. 

However, Amanita muscaria can produce similar impacts on your brain and body without psilocybin or psilocin. 

The active compounds in these quintessential toadstools are ibotenic acid and muscimol, which purportedly elicit the following effects:

• Sedation or stimulation
• Pain relief
• Muscle relaxation
• Enhanced colors
• Visual distortions
• Consciousness disconnection
• Dream potentiation
• Libido changes
• Synesthesia
• Increased music appreciation
• Existential self-realization
• And more!

Even though the effects are similar to the illegal psychedelic mushrooms, Fly Agaric is legal in various parts of the world, thanks to the absence of psilocybin and psilocin. So, let's take a look at where you can purchase, possess, transport, and cultivate these mushrooms without violating the law.

The United States of America

Nearly every single state in America has legalized the use of Amanita muscaria. The only state that is yet to legalize Fly Agaric is Louisiana. 

According to the Louisiana State Act 159, you are not able to grow, sell, or possess this type of mushroom unless you're using it for ornamental purposes only.

Canada

The storybook mushroom is also legal in Canada. However, it is still waiting to be approved for sale and use in any form. Fly Agaric is subject to regulations under the country's Food and Drugs Act.

In fact, Health Canada awarded the mushroom with a "natural health product" designation this year (2022)! This has cleared the way for public sales on the horizon. Although, it's worth noting that Amanita muscaria products are yet to appear in the country and haven't received regulatory approval at the time of writing. 

The United Kingdom

The law in the UK surrounding drugs can be complicated. So, let's make it simple. 

The Misuse of Drugs Act reclassified all psilocybin- or psilocin-containing mushrooms as Class A drugs. But, as we mentioned earlier, Amanita muscaria does not contain these compounds. Therefore, you can possess the mushroom without legal consequences. 

It's important to keep in mind that you can't sell Fly Agaric for human consumption anywhere in the United Kingdom. Although, health shops get around this by labeling products containing the mushroom "not for human consumption" and selling them for botanical research reasons. 

Australia

It is against the law to possess, sell, transport, and cultivate Amanita muscaria in Australia. 

Remember when we said one of the active ingredients in the shroom is muscimol? Well, that's the compound that makes it illegal here, as it's considered a schedule nine drug in Australian law. 

Other Parts of the World

Naturally, other parts of the world have regulations regarding Fly Agaric and its consumption, possession, transportation, cultivation, and sale.

You can find the per-country legality in the table below. But we'll dive a bit deeper into some of the other countries on the list afterward:

The Netherlands has pretty strict rules surrounding Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina. Both mushrooms have been illegal to buy, possess, or sell since the end of 2008. If you're caught with amounts exceeding 5g fresh or 0.5g dried, you could face criminal charges. 

Likewise, Thailand has strict rules surrounding the shroom. You cannot legally use, store, transport, or distribute Fly Agaric mushrooms as they're included in the Five Category of drugs. 

It's also legal in Russia for transportation, possession, sale, and cultivation. 

In Ireland, a regulation introduced at the start of 2006 didn't include Amanita muscaria. Instead, it outlawed the sale and possession of mushrooms containing psilocybin. 

Like Ireland, Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina aren't included in Mexico's Ley General de Salud. Therefore, you can cultivate, possess, sell, and buy it without violating the country's laws and legislation. 

As for Ukraine, Amanita mushrooms of all types aren't included in the country's prohibited drugs list. Although, some species could contain DMT which is illegal. So, you really need to know your shrooms to stay on the right side of the law. 

Purchase Legal Amanita Muscaria Mushrooms from Trusted Sources Only

If you've researched the mushroom at all, you may have come across various sources that say it's poisonous. And while that's true when it's prepared incorrectly, properly strained and processed Amanita muscaria shrooms are tested and safe. 

You shouldn't go out and forage for them. However, you can purchase edible products containing the mushroom from trusted sources like our store. We offer a wide range of lab-tested Fly Agaric products, including extract powder, and even dried caps perfect for crafting Amanita muscaria tea!

References

https://www.leafly.com/news/strains-products/meet-amanita-muscaria-the-legal-mind-altering-mushroom-for-sale-in-florida-and-online

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjs_8ViBIJ5/

https://www.psychedeliclaw.ca/amanita-muscaria-fly-agaric-muscimol

drugs.ie/news/article/Toxic_mushroom_still_on_sale_due_to_legal_loophole

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_status_of_psychoactive_Amanita_mushrooms

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscimol

https://www.themix.org.uk/drink-and-drugs/legal-highs/fly-agaric-mushrooms-9846.html