A wave of illicit Shrooms Canada stores is popping up across Canada, challenging drug laws. But experts say these illegal vendors are unlikely to radically advance the acceptance of hallucinogenic fungi by authorities or the public.

For many Canadians, psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, is a life-changing medicine. They use it to help treat mental health issues like anxiety and depression and cope with end-of-life anxiety, and advocate for its therapeutic potential as a way to ease suffering.

But despite the widespread popularity, psilocybin remains classified as Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act and its sale, cultivation and possession remain illegal. That’s not stopping people from sourcing the drugs through websites like Shrooms Canada and brick-and-mortar shops that offer mail-order services across the country.

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In Winnipeg, where the first brick-and-mortar magic mushroom store opened in 2022, police have yet to raid the shop despite numerous complaints. And a man who claims to be the store’s spokesman says he hasn’t been given any tickets or seized products by law enforcement.

The City of Winnipeg says it doesn’t require a special permit or licensing for a “mushroom dispensary” and that the province is responsible for zoning considerations. The Winnipeg police service, however, says officers are aware of the store and have seen no issues with its operation.

The owner of another Winnipeg-based dispensary, Schedule35, which also operates stores in Ottawa and Toronto, said his business has been operating without any problems. He acknowledged, however, that the company is taking a risk by offering a controlled substance.