How safe is it to use magic mushrooms or truffles? It’s a question that comes up often, but one that actually has a very simple answer. If you’re worried about using magic mushrooms or truffles, your concerns may well be unfounded. Various studies have shown that magic mushrooms—and therefore also magic truffles—are the safest type of drug in the world.
Global Drug Survey
For example, a recent global drug survey from the Global Drug Survey 2019 showed that when using psilocybin-containing hallucinogenic mushrooms, the need for emergency medical assistance was by far the lowest compared to other types of drugs. Of the more than 12,000 people who reported using magic mushrooms, only 0.4% said they needed urgent medical assistance—at least four times less likely than with the use of MDMA, LSD, and cocaine.
“Magic mushrooms are one of the safest drugs in the world,” says Adam Winstock, a psychiatrist who serves as an advisor and researcher for the Global Drug Survey. He points out that people who pick and eat the wrong mushrooms are at greater risk. The Global Drug Survey surveyed over 123,000 participants in more than 30 different countries, making it the largest drug survey. It covered a wide range of topics, including the positive and negative effects experienced by users of certain types of drugs.
Magic mushrooms are by far the safest drugs
For several years in a row, the results of the Global Drug Survey have shown that magic mushrooms and psilocybin-containing sclerotia are by far the safest type of drug to use, even safer than cannabis, which is already considered harmless. Overall, 28,000 people reported having taken magic mushrooms at some point in their lives, with 81.7% seeking a “moderate psychedelic experience” and an “enhancement of environmental and social interactions.”
Psychiatrist Winstock does note, however, that although magic mushrooms are the safest type of drug, their use is not entirely without risk. “Combined use with alcohol and use in high-risk or unfamiliar environments increase the risk of harm, usually injuries from accidents, panic and confusion, disorientation, and fear of losing one’s mind.” His advice is to plan your psychedelic journey as carefully as possible and to obtain your magic mushrooms or truffles from a reliable source.
No toxicity and no lethal dose
One drug for which medical assistance is sought much more frequently is LSD. Of the nearly LSD users who participated in the study, approximately 0.9% reported seeking emergency medical care, twice as many as users who had taken magic mushrooms. The advantage of both LSD and magic mushrooms, however, is that there is no toxicity, and the effects wear off after a few hours. “There is no known lethal dose for LSD or pure psilocybin,” says Winstock on this topic. The most dangerous drug on the list is heroin, which, at 13.6%, causes by far the most need for emergency medical care, followed by methamphetamine at 3.2%.
