News Update Feb 2022: Magic Mushrooms in Arkansas
When someone says that it’s “already 2022”, it implies that things are different from before. It would make sense, with people being more open to progressive ideologies. People have been receptive to change. This is mainly on how humankind collectively thinks. This goes from self-expression to understanding mental illnesses.
Despite progress in some areas, other aspects of people’s lives have seen little to no change. A perfect example would be how many people view so-called “illicit substances.”
A substance may be seen as illicit for one reason or another, therefore casting a negative light upon it. Psilocybin is one good example of an illegal substance with a bad reputation. Several factors come into play why people think of it so negatively. Essentially, this can be attributed to its complicated history.
However, whatever the case may be, magic mushrooms are still seen as something that will do you no good. As such, there is no reason why you should even bother touching the stuff.
This kind of mindset has prevailed for decades. People thought that this was the right thing to believe. However, new information would say otherwise with the developments in science and research.
Contrary to what was thought for the longest time, shrooms have some benefits when taken. What’s more, they aren’t as evil of a substance as initially thought. People should start reevaluating how they view psilocybin mushrooms with that in mind. Unfortunately, that may be easier said than done.
Psilocybin Mushroom Uses and Benefits
Psilocybin mushrooms were rather popular to take during the 1970s and 1980s. Shrooms have been around for longer than that, and these mushrooms were around during ancient civilizations. An example is that of the Aztecs.
These ancient peoples used magic mushrooms for various purposes, from medicine to meditation. But, one of the more frequent purposes would be for religious and spiritual reasons.
Ancient peoples believed that these mushrooms could elevate your state of mind. As a result, you could connect with nature and even reach a point where you can communicate with the gods. As such, they treated these mushrooms with the utmost respect, and these shrooms were practically sacred to them.
Of course, in the 70s and 80s, these shrooms were still used for similar purposes. Some people still use these mushrooms to elevate their state of mind, hoping to reach a spiritual experience. Others also saw that they could use shrooms to go on psychedelic trips, and they would float along with their thoughts and maybe see hallucinations.
Recently, magic mushroom-related research has helped uncover a better understanding of these fungi. Specifically, studies pointed out that they’re something more than taking on a ‘trip.’
For example, the NYU Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety Study conducted their research. They looked at how shrooms could help manage terminally ill patients. The patients were given magic mushrooms as therapy, and the results showed that it helped decrease their illness-related anxiety. The psilocybin also helped them be more open and accepting of their condition.
Another study showed that a psychedelic mushroom could be as effective as antidepressants. The psychedelic mushroom had similar effects on the brain as antidepressant medication. It was acting on the same neuroreceptors similar to antidepressants. Moreover, it had a more lasting effect than the prescribed medicine.
These are only a few of the studies done on magic mushrooms. Several studies are still ongoing, and this is to look into the benefits and better understand shrooms. With the way things are going, it looks like there’s a whole lot more that one can learn about shrooms.
Aside from that, more solid evidence on the benefit of shrooms will come forward. If anything, that’ll only help prove that these fungi can provide a lot of good. But, as it is, one would think the present information could help change people’s minds about fungi. Unfortunately, that isn’t precisely the case in many places.
Psilocybin mushrooms and Arkansas Laws
Currently, the scientific and medical fields are enjoying some progress. However, psilocybin advocates may not be experiencing that progress. Research has already shown the benefits we can get from psychedelic mushrooms. Despite all this, several states in the United States still see shrooms as an evil substance.
Except for a few states and cities, shrooms are still classified as a schedule 1 substance. This means that there are still no approved medical benefits for shrooms. They also have the potential to be addictive. As a result, several states treat these mushrooms as controlled substances.
Unfortunately, their home state is part of the majority of Arkansas shroom advocates. Arkansas has one of the strictest laws on drug possession, and getting caught with shrooms will get you in serious trouble.
You can be charged with a criminal offense, spend some time in jail, and pay a fine. Magic mushrooms in Arkansas are more trouble than they’re worth. As such, it’s safer for shroom advocates to avoid selling, growing, and owning shrooms.
However, Arkansas doesn’t deem psychedelic mushrooms’ spores illegal like other states. As these don’t contain psilocybin, they are completely legal to have. Don’t try to grow them, as that will merit a criminal offense.
What Now?
As of now, things may not seem to change anytime soon for Arkansas psilocybin advocates. However, it doesn’t mean things will stay that way forever. It’s only a matter of time before they turn their attention to psilocybin. This is considering that Arkansas has started to consider cannabis for medical usage.
The state may take a while to mull these things over, but these things take some time. However, despite the waiting time, you can remain hopeful. The current body of knowledge does so much to prove that shrooms have some benefits. Arkansas lawmakers will see this too and make the appropriate changes in time.
