Can You Smoke Magic Mushrooms?

Smoking is a common way to consume various psychoactive substances. However, smoking shrooms is likely more harmful than beneficial. Read on to learn the best ways to consume them instead.

Many people use magic mushrooms and truffles to promote personal and spiritual development. Early research even suggests that psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms (hereinafter referred to as "shrooms"), could have additional therapeutic applications.

Psilocybin mushrooms are typically ingested orally. However, inhalation is a common way to consume many psychoactive substances. Cannabis, for example, is often smoked or vaped to experience its effects. But what about shrooms?

Can you smoke shrooms? Let's dive in.

CAN YOU SMOKE SHROOMS?

The short answer is, yes, you can smoke shrooms—however, it won't get you high.

WHY WON'T SMOKING MAGIC MUSHROOMS GET YOU HIGH?

Psilocybin is the psychoactive prodrug in shrooms. It breaks down at relatively low temperatures, so trying to smoke psilocybin will destroy it. Even if smoking didn't essentially burn all of the psilocybin away, psilocybin alone won't get you high. It first needs to be converted to psilocin, which happens in the stomach thanks to gastric acid.

Key takeaway: smoking shrooms won't do much. Eating them, however, can take you on the trip of a lifetime. We'll talk about the best ways to do that a little later.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SMOKE MAGIC MUSHROOMS?

If smoking psilocybin mushrooms won't get you high, what will it do? Unfortunately, it's likely to do more harm than good. There are several risks to smoking shrooms.

GENERAL RISKS OF SMOKING

There's very little research specifically into smoking psilocybin. However, all combusted substances release some carcinogens into your respiratory system. So, chances are it's bad for you. Since smoking shrooms won't do much other than irritate your airways, it's best to give your lungs a break.

MOULD SPORES

Another thing to consider is mould. Mushrooms could be contaminated with mould spores. In small amounts, ingesting these spores shouldn't harm you (though larger amounts of mould can). However, inhaling these same spores could cause respiratory problems. And let's not forget—shrooms are fungi too!

THE SIDE EFFECTS WITHOUT THE BENEFITS

Anecdotal evidence suggests that smoking shrooms may produce similar side effects to eating them, including nausea and headache. We all know that taking shrooms can have some negative effects; however, these are usually outweighed by the potential benefits of a great mushroom trip. When it comes to smoking, without any psychoactive benefit, we don't recommend taking the risk.

BETTER WAYS TO USE MUSHROOMS

Though they have to be orally ingested, there are still many different ways to take shrooms. Here are a few of our favourites.

EATING THEM

First on our list: just straight-up eat your shrooms. It's important to chew thoroughly. Your saliva will start to break down the psilocybin into psilocin, the potent psychoactive compound that drives your trip.

While certainly the simplest method, the thing about eating straight shrooms is that they aren't very appetising. Some people can't tolerate the taste and texture. One way to minimise contact with your taste buds is to grind your fresh shrooms into a paste with a truffle grinder. That way, they're already broken down and you can quickly swallow them.

BREWING SHROOM TEA

Of course, if ingesting plain dried mushrooms is just too much for you, that's okay. With a bit of finesse, you can disguise the taste and even lower your risk of side effects like nausea. One way to ease the effects of psilocybin mushrooms on your stomach is to brew your shrooms into a tea. Here's how to do it:

• Bring your water to a boil, then turn down the heat and keep it just below a simmer.
• Add your shrooms. Let them steep for 10–15 minutes.
• Throw in some lemon or lime slices to mask the taste (and potentially shorten the onset of effects).
• Remove from the heat, and drink.

Just make sure to keep an eye on your magic brew and don't let it boil. You could destroy the psilocybin (and your trip in the process).

LEMON TEK

If thrill-seeking is your thing, try lemon tek. This psychedelic drink is made with lemon juice and ground-up shrooms. Proponents claim the acids in the lemon juice help to break down the psilocybin, increasing the intensity of the trip while shortening the duration and the onset of effects.

Because lemon tek can pack a real punch, we don't recommend this method if you're inexperienced. Seasoned psychonauts, however, may enjoy the whirlwind of a good lemon tek trip.

Here’s how to go about it:

• Grind up your shrooms and dump them into a shot glass.
• Pour lemon juice over top, making sure the powder is completely covered.
• Wait 20 minutes for the magic to happen.
• Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth.
• Knock it back like a shot.

Because of the potential for increased potency, we recommend starting with half the amount of shrooms you'd normally dose.

MAKING BLUE HONEY

To sweeten up your experience, try this honey infused with psilocybin.

Simply grind your dried mushrooms into a powder and mix them into a cup of runny honey. The mushrooms turn blue as they oxidise, creating a cerulean psychedelic treat.

Use the honey as you would normally; in a warm tea, spread on toast, or licked straight off the spoon. Taking it by itself, without food, will produce the strongest results.

Just be careful with dosing. Start with a little until you're sure how strong the honey is, then go from there. Seal your blue honey in a jar and store it in a dry, cool, dark place. It should keep for around 1–4 months.

COOKING THEM

If you're a culinary artisan, cooking with shrooms presents an opportunity for creativity. What better way to disguise the taste of shrooms than with a dish so delicious, you'll forget they're there?

Cooking with shrooms can also help to minimise side effects like nausea. Just keep in mind that taking your shrooms with food will very likely result in a milder trip.

Magic mushrooms can be added to any food, so feel free to experiment. However, you should avoid exposing the shrooms to too much heat. Psilocybin begins to break down at high temperatures. To avoid this, add mushrooms to sauces or toppings after the cooking phase.

Need some ideas? Try psilocybin pesto, psychedelic chocolate, or magic mushroom pizza. You can also check out our introductory guide to cooking with magic mushrooms.

SHOULD YOU SMOKE SHROOMS?

To recap, no—there’s no reason to smoke shrooms. First of all, it's a total waste of time, money, and resources. As we've established, smoking magic mushrooms won't get you high. Combustion destroys psilocybin, and your trip along with it.

Second of all, you might still get negative side effects from smoking shrooms. We're talking nausea, headache, not to mention the risk that smoking poses to your respiratory health. All of that without any psychoactive effects or benefits.

So if you're thinking about smoking shrooms, take a pass and just eat them instead. Bon appétit!