PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOM

'shrooms | "magic" mushrooms

Mushrooms are dried and eaten whole or pulverized and mixed into drinks or food such as brownies.

Source: The mushroom family.

Legal code: Illegal.

History: Mushrooms have been around for ages and ages. Archaeologists have found sculptures of mushrooms in Central and South America from as far back as 500 B.C. Used by some Native Americans in religious rites, their use outside of that community is entirely recreational.

Effects: Immediate effects can include mild feelings of nausea and increased blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. Overall, the effects are similar to those of LSD but usually last for 4 to 6 hours.

Risks: Though mushrooms are thought to be a "natural" alternative to LSD and other lab-produced hallucinogens, they have many of the same negative side effects, such as dangerously impaired judgment and bad trips. A real risk is that you'll eat the wrong kind of mushroom--many species that look similar to psilocybin mushrooms are extremely dangerous and can be fatal.

Addiction rating: Low.