Create new account Narrator: But as far as scientists know, long-term use doesn’t damage the brain in the way that other drugs can, and according to at least one study, it’s actually the safest drug out there. In 2018, for example, just 0.3% of people who reported taking them needed medical emergency treatment, compared to 0.9% for ecstasy and 1.3% for alcohol. Taken altogether, that’s why some states across the country have campaigned to decriminalize psilocybin, including Denver, which, in May of 2019, became the first ever to succeed. The real risk of eating ‘magic’ mushrooms is not that they are toxic but that the identity may be inaccurate and a toxic species eaten by mistake. The other risk is strictly legal, which is that our bizarre drug legislation has classed them with crack cocaine. There are no reports of serious harm resulting from ingestion of Psilocybe species other than can be attributed to the psychoactive effects of the Psilocybin they contain. https://dvoravic.com/otterboard/profile/adolphv2252400/ We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. You can read our Cookie Policy here. Thanks to new research on the potential for psilocybin to treat conditions like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, drug dependencies, and to help people facing a life-threatening disease, there’s a new groundswell of interest being hailed as a ‘psychedelic renaissance’. Alcohol consumption, but addiction especially, can lead to a raft of diseases, organ failures and in many cases premature death. Worldwide, the death and burden caused by alcohol abuse are unquestionable, in Europe alone, roughly 290.000 people die every year from alcohol-related causes. One-third of these deaths were caused by or linked to cancer. Sign up now for a weekly digest of the top drug and alcohol news that impacts your work, life and community.