Premium Microdose Mushroom Products

These Premium Microdose Mushroom Products -infused chocolate bars and gummies, sold online and in smoke/vape shops and gas stations, promise mind-altering experiences from a slight boost in focus (microdose) to psychedelic trips. But these treats aren’t just a variation on hemp-derived delta-8 or even the legal drug CBD—they’re often also packed with chemicals that are more dangerous. That’s because the fungus Amanita muscaria, more commonly known as magic mushrooms, isn’t just psychoactive: It also contains the chemical psilocin. And the more psilocin you take, the more intense your experience will be.

That’s the problem with many of these mushroom-infused candies, which have been linked to a cluster of illnesses across the country and prompted a recall of all products by the company Prophet Premium Blends. Initial tests turned up a mix of compounds in the contaminated product, including ephedrine and the natural plant kratom, which has opioid-like properties. But that didn’t explain why the illness reports were so similar.

Premium Microdose Mushroom Products: What to Look For and Why Quality Matters

Amanita muscaria has been around for hundreds of years and is widely known from folklore and depictions in popular culture, including Alice in Wonderland and the mushroom emoji. But it’s important to remember that the fungus is not the same as the Schedule I chemical psilocybin, which is illegal in the U.S. Until a full investigation is complete, the public can’t know whether the symptoms people are reporting are linked to Amanita muscaria or to something else.

The Blue Ridge Poison Center has managed five cases since September of people who became ill after eating mushroom-infused candy. The patients’ common symptoms include gastrointestinal problems and chest pain.