Consuming shrooms is a tried and tested method to get an incredible trip; however, pushing the boundaries promises new experiences. Instead of ingesting, smoking shrooms is an alternative approach, but is the experience worth it? You can smoke Psilocybin mushrooms no doubt, but the effects will be similar and equally intense as consuming it is debatable.
There’s no scientific study to confirm that inhaling burnt shrooms can give a good trip. So, we have to trust those who are creative enough to try a different approach and bold enough to share their experience on online platforms.
That’s what we are going to explore with this article – is smoking shrooms a real thing and what are its effects?
What are Psilocybin Mushrooms?
Also known as magic mushrooms, hallucinogenic mushrooms, or simply shrooms are those that cause psychedelic effects.
The reason is Psilocybin, a psychoactive compound. Although Psilocybe cubensis is the most commonly known shroom, there are over 200 species of Psilocybin mushrooms found across the world.
Historically, these mushrooms have been used in religious rituals and sacraments, but new studies have shed light on their effectiveness against PTSD, depression, alcohol addiction, anorexia, anxiety, and other mental conditions.
However, shrooms at large are used for recreational purposes and ingested mostly to get high.
Impact of Magic Mushrooms on The Body – What does it feel like?
When ingested, people experience psychedelic effects that last from anywhere between 90 minutes to 8 hours. Psilocybin quickly enters the brain and binds to specific serotonin receptors that control several body functions including sleep, hunger, etc.
Those who take shrooms might experience an altered perception of time and vision. Besides, experts also agree that it can completely alter how people make decisions. Additionally, research also indicates that Psilocybin impacts brain parts that regulate the sense of self.
It means that some people might feel more connected with others under the psychedelic effects of shrooms.
Smoking Psilocybin Mushrooms – Is It Possible?
The short answer is Yes, you can smoke Psilocybin Mushrooms. However, many proponents of shrooms will find the idea repulsive.
Why?
Simple fact, why change, when it already works?
The supporting claim is that ingestion gives you the best results. When you take shrooms orally, they get absorbed into the body fully and give you the best trip. So, why alter the methods and make the effect less intense, right?
Additionally, consuming magic mushrooms orally also ensures that the effects are not disturbed by additional substances, like tobacco, paper weed, and anything that was incorporated to make smoking easy.
Anything additional impacts the trip and its effectiveness and can ruin the experience of the trip for some individuals.
Why Smoking Psilocybin Mushrooms Won’t Offer You a Good Trip?
People consume magic mushrooms for the trip and sense of ecstasy that it offers. Smoking shrooms might not offer the same effects as ingesting it.
The problem is Psilocybin itself – it’s the same psychoactive ingredient that gives magic mushrooms its ‘magic.’ It means the psychoactive properties like intense feelings of euphoria, heightened senses, and time distortion, all come from Psilocybin.
The problem is that Psilocybin has relatively low combustion points which is around 180°C. So, when you try to smoke shrooms, the Psilocybin in it breaks down leaving a relatively small amount of psychoactive compound that can’t get you as high as ingesting it.
On top of that Psilocybin needs to be converted into psilocin for the maximum Psychedelics effect. Psilocin is produced when Psilocybin interacts with stomach acid which again is not possible with smoking.
Smoking shrooms won’t do much good, eating them on the other hand can give you a trip you won’t forget. ( We won’t recommend it though)
Is Smoking Shrooms Good? Exploring Risk Factors
You can inhale burnt chunks of shrooms, is it good for the body? Well, No, besides the regular risks associated with psychedelic mushrooms, smoking them can be dangerous in itself. Here’s why;
1. Harmful Byproducts of Combustion
There are no studies indicating the dangers of smoking shrooms, but it can start with the combustion itself. When things burn, they often produce harmful chemicals. These could be carcinogens that get direct access to your respiratory system. It can irritate your airways and cause long-term damage to the lungs.
2. Harmful Mold Spores
It might be possible that mushrooms are contaminated with harmful spores. When ingested in small quantities, they might not be harmful – given the acidic environment of the stomach. However, when you smoke shrooms, these spores can easily enter the airways and cause respiratory issues.
3. Risks of Aspergillosis
Aspergillosis is a repository infection caused by exposure to fungi. Since Mushrooms are also fungus, smoking them poses a risk of aspergillosis. It’s a serious condition that can cause damage to blood vessels. On top of that, it can also cause difficulty breathing, skin lesions, headaches, and fatigue.
General Side-effects of Psilocybin Mushrooms
Smoking or ingesting, you are putting hallucinogenic mushrooms inside your body that can seriously impact your brain function. You might be in it for a good and intense trip but it can easily turn into a nightmare.
Here are some side effects associated with Psilocybin mushrooms;
- Distorted sense of time.
- Extreme anxiety episodes in some individuals
- Nausea at the onset of the trip may result in vomiting.
- Fluctuations in body temperature.
- Confusion and disorientation.
What are the extreme effects of Psilocybin mushrooms?
Psilocybin mushrooms can cause some serious side effects that can put you in life-threatening situations. Higher doses can completely destroy your grip of reality and you might do things you would never attempt with the right mind.
There are several reported incidents where people have jumped out of the building after getting high with shrooms. In 2016, a banker, Merril Lynch lept from a building after eating magic mushrooms. Likewise, a pilot tried to shut down the plane’s engine mid-flight. When questioned he said, he was under the influence of Psilocybin mushrooms.
Besides, shrooms can also cause significantly negative hallucinations, unsettling visions, extreme panic, complete loss of motor skills, etc.
Summary
Can you smoke Psilocybin mushrooms? The answer is Yes.
Should You? The answer is No.
Besides the fact that you won’t get the same trip as with ingesting, there are additional long and short-term risks associated with smoking shrooms.
Everything said it’s not a good idea to take Psilocybin in any form, other than as a drug that is prescribed by a medical practitioner.
Yes, some people might feel ecstatic, more connected, and positive, but the risks involved are not worth the experience.
References
- Buddy T. The Types of Dissociative Drugs. [(accessed on 23 March 2021)];2020 Available online: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-dissociative-drugs-63387
- Johnson M.W., Griffiths R.R. Potential Therapeutic Effects of Psilocybin. Neurotherapeutics. 2017;14:734–740. doi: 10.1007/s13311-017-0542-y. [PMC free article]
