This article was originally published on Cannabis & Tech Today and appears here with permission.
Fascination with the legendary Amanita muscaria is rising alongside a global mushroom movement spanning psychedelic to medicinal products. But a pressing question looms: Can brands rise to the challenge of creating legal A. muscaria mushroom extracts that meet both quality and compliance standards?
The answer lies in deeply understanding this unique mushroom species, safely extracting its active ingredients, and adhering to best practices when producing and marketing A. muscaria mushrooms to consumers.
Understanding Amanita Muscaria
A. muscaria, or “Fly Agaric” or “Toadstool,” is a captivating psychoactive mushroom with a distinct red or orange cap adorned with white dots and a tall white stalk.
Revered by ancient tribal peoples from Siberia to Eastern Europe, A. muscaria holds a rich history of use for purposes ranging from mind-altering and spiritual to medicinal and nutritional. It’s important to note that there are hundreds of Amanita species, and muscaria is just one of those.
A. muscaria’s active ingredients include muscimol, ibotenic acid, and muscarine, making its psychoactive effects wholly distinct from classic psychedelic (psilocybe) also known as magic mushrooms. A. muscaria is not considered a psychedelic, but rather a deliriant.
Magic mushrooms, rich in psilocybin and many other active compounds, can elicit hallucinations and ego-dissolving experiences. A. muscaria’s chemical composition, on the other hand, can be relaxing and sedative or downright euphoric and “dreamlike.” It can also be highly toxic, necessitating caution and proper preparation.
Legality
A. muscaria enjoys a privileged legal standing compared to magic mushrooms throughout much of the world. In the United States, its active compounds are not on the DEA’s Controlled Substances Act (CSA) list. As a result, brands sell extracts in various forms, from oils to edibles, nationwide. Still, its legal status is not so simple.
States can criminalize A. muscaria at any time, similar to the recent bans on hemp-derived Delta-8 THC in 17 states and counting. Louisiana law already explicitly outlaws A. muscaria sales and many states could follow.
A. muscaria’s legal status becomes even more complicated when brands start marketing their products, specifically ingestible extracts. That’s where FDA oversight comes into play.
The FDA approves food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices for sale in the U.S. It also regulates their safety, efficacy, and labeling according to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act. The FDA does not consider A. muscaria a drug but rather a food. As such, the …
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