Rising Popularity of “Magic” Amanita Mushrooms Raises Alarms

New research shows a concerning increase in interest in the highly toxic Amanita muscaria mushroom, often misleadingly marketed as a therapeutic substance akin to psilocybin, highlighting an urgent need for stricter regulations and consumer education to prevent potential harm.

Interest in the potentially harmful “magic mushroom” Amanita muscaria has surged among Americans, with Google searches increasing by 114 percent from 2022 to 2023, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California San Diego’s Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, suggests that the growing market for Amanita muscaria may be partly driven by emerging clinical research supporting the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in treating depression.