Posted at 5:00 am.
Charles-Éric Blais-Poulin Investigative Team, La Presse
(Toronto) branches in Montreal and Laval within a month
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
The Funguyz chain will soon open a store in Montreal and another in Laval.
Between a toy store and a wine store, the facade of 575 Danforth Avenue in upscale Pape Village in east Toronto stands out. A few onlookers slow down to look at the huge psychedelic-themed posters. Welcome to Funguyz, the largest brand of magic mushrooms and psilocybin derivatives in Canada.
Simply ring the bell to enter the elegant shop, where bags of dried mushrooms, microdoses – tiny amounts that do not induce hallucinogenic effects – of psilocybin and “therapeutic” variations of chocolate and gummy bears are displayed against the white walls.
“Within a month” shops of this type will be well established in Montreal and Laval, says Edgars Gorbans, co-owner of Funguyz, in an interview with La Presse in the Backshop. “There’s a lot of interest,” he says. The two Quebec locations will be the eleventh and twelfth locations in the magic mushroom franchise. The most recent have just opened in London and Wasaga Beach in Ontario – which was then forced to close “temporarily” by order of City Hall.
These businesses, illegal in Quebec as anywhere in Canada, could quickly become the scene of seizures and indictments. But Mr. Gorbans cares little; He has witnessed six raids since beginning his mushroom adventure last January.
When the police come, they tell us, “Sorry guys, but we had complaints, so we didn’t have a choice.” They charge the current employee and give him a promise to appear. We usually reopen two to three hours later.
Edgar Gorbans
Sometimes the next day.
This was the case at the Danforth office where we are based. This is the third of five Funguyz stores to open in Toronto. A few hours before our meeting, Mr. Gorbans was in Barrie, north of the metropolis. The branch, in turn, had just been searched. Each time, authorities leave with about $3,000 worth of prohibited goods.
Funguyz, with the support of Toronto attorney Paul Lewin, plans to use all his strength to fight criminal charges against his employees. “We will go to the federal court or the Supreme Court if necessary,” says Edgars Gorbans.
mission change
The original goal of Funguyz was clear: “make money”. But the co-owner says that the mission has gradually changed through contact with customers and their stories.
Money doesn’t matter anymore. It became militancy. We want psilocybin to be legalized and widely prescribed to patients. Our fight is access.
Edgars Gorbans, co-owner of Funguyz
Funguyz, Shroomyz, Day Trip, Magic Mush, Mush Lov: Toronto is popping up with psilocybin shops, most offering delivery. The pun is as simple as picking up a 28-gram bag of either the Penis Envy or Golden Teacher strains from a dozen addresses. They all advertise themselves as “medical supply stores”, although customers are not required to provide any documentation other than an ID card proving they are 19 years of age or older, in addition to completing an exemption document.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Funguyz store on Spadina Avenue, Toronto
“Basically it’s like, ‘After drinking, you’re not allowed to drive, you’re not allowed to use heavy machinery’, etc.,” explains Mr Gorbans. “Customers must also tick the reason they are buying psilocybin: depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, etc. We do not sell for recreational purposes; We focus on the therapeutic goal. But of course you cannot control how customers use it. »
Rare good for doctors
From a medical perspective, the legal use of psychedelic drugs remains a domain in Canada. Since January 2022, Health Canada has allowed physicians to apply for a prescription for psilocybin through clinical trials or the Special Access Program (SAP).
The ministry also recognized a “growing interest” in using psychedelics to treat conditions such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance abuse.
“Although clinical trials of psilocybin have shown promising results, there are currently no approved therapeutic products containing psilocybin in Canada or anywhere else,” the federal agency notes on its website.
However, many health professionals believe Health Canada’s eligibility criteria are too strict. Last July, about 100 caregivers who could not obtain psilocybin for training purposes filed a judicial review in federal court.
“For someone like you and me, it’s virtually impossible to seek advice from an authorized professional,” laments Mr Gorbans. Our vision is to make treatment accessible to everyone. And it’s better for consumers to buy products that are checked and sealed in a clean environment like Funguyz’s than to pick potentially poisonous mushrooms yourself or buy obscure things off the street, he says.
Side Effects of Psilocybin
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Chode, Mexicana and Golden Teacher: three varieties of magic mushrooms
Among the short-term side effects of psilocybin, excluding microdoses, which have not been adequately studied, Health Canada lists “hallucinations,” “mood changes,” and “numbness.” Bad trips are often the most feared consequence. They can “understand paranoia, loss of boundaries and a distorted sense of self,” the ministry notes. The consumption of other drugs increases the dangers. In addition, “impaired judgment during these poor trips can lead to risky behaviors that can result in traumatic injury or even death,” writes Health Canada. Additionally, “no studies have examined the long-term effects of frequent consumption of magic mushrooms.” It is “unlikely” for a person to develop an addiction, the Quebec government states on its website. “However, repeated consumption can lead to a very high tolerance. The toxicity of psilocybin, or psilocin in its metabolized form, is almost zero: according to the American researcher Robert S. Gable, Professor of Psychology at Claremont Graduate University in California, a person must consume more than a thousand times the psychoactive dose in order for it to the vital prognosis can be activated.
Oppression or Tolerance?
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Funguyz, Toronto magic mushroom shop
How will police departments in Montreal and Laval react to the inevitable opening of magic mushroom shops? Entrepreneur Edgars Gorbans, who intends to open a Funguyz branch there in the coming weeks, expects a somewhat conciliatory reaction. “These cities are dealing with much bigger problems than psilocybin,” he says.
“Psychedelics are not necessarily going to be a priority for the authorities,” agrees Jean-Sébastien Fallu, a professor at the University of Montreal’s School of Psychoeducation. “These are not substances that are controlled in classic crime markets or pose major health risks. »
Businesses opening their doors in Quebec is “completely predictable,” he said.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Jean-Sébastien Fallu, Professor at the School of Psychoeducation at the University of Montreal
We see the same trajectory that we saw when we unpacked the cannabis in front of us.
Jean-Sébastien Fallu, Professor at the School of Psychoeducation at the University of Montreal
The appearance of stores not only “contributes to a change in mentalities, representations and perceptions” but also forces the police to position themselves, Mr Fallu believes.
In an email, the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) states that it is aware of the popularity of microdosing psilocybin, LSD and ketamine, but reminds that these three substances remain illegal. “The SPVM would apply the provisions of the Criminal Code if related offenses were committed,” writes spokeswoman Anik de Repentigny.
“The SPVM will not reveal any official public position,” comments Professor Jean-Sébastien Fallu. Internal discussions are subject to change based on public opinion, complaints and media coverage. »
At Montreal City Hall, a press secretary clarified that selling psilocybin was illegal “despite the strong position”. [de l’administration Plante] regarding the decriminalization of ‘simple drug possession’ for personal use, a move that ‘saves lives through harm reduction’. A corresponding statement was passed by the city council in 2021.
On the island of Jesus, the Laval police have no plan against potential deals, a spokeswoman said.
The head of the Funguyz brand, Edgars Gorbans, explains that it is rare for one of his companies to be affected again after an initial attack. “The police are aware of all the resources they need: money, officers, etc. We conduct raids, arrest someone, charge them, but then what? Even if she does manage to convict an employee for selling psilocybin, which is certain, what will the penalty be? We only sell psilocybin; no cannabis or other drugs. »
The now militant entrepreneur says his customers include police officers. “Some even keep their uniforms,” he says.
The example of Vancouver
In British Columbia, magic mushroom stores seem to be so well tolerated that legalizing them is a common misconception. In 2019, Vancouver city councils rejected a motion calling on police to crack down on the illegal sale of magic mushrooms.
“Anyone trafficking psilocybin, especially those contributing to violence and organized crime, could be arrested and charged,” warns Sergeant Steve Addison, spokesman for the Vancouver Police Department, in an email to La Press.
According to Mr. Gorbans, the costs and benefits of psilocybin need to be analyzed from a harm reduction perspective. “I would estimate that 20-30% of our customers buy shrooms to help kick an addiction, be it fentanyl, cocaine, heroin or alcohol. Microdoses can help some people avoid much harder drugs. »
Last year, researchers at Harvard University found that psilocybin users had a 30% reduced risk of developing an opioid addiction. Although the studies are still in their infancy, they come to promising conclusions regarding nicotine and alcohol.
“Instead of sending eight police officers to raid a magic mushroom store, use these resources to deal with crack or heroin problems,” Edgars Gorbans told authorities.
Paradoxically, couldn’t Funguyz and his lawyers’ fight for the legalization of psilocybin end up ending private deals in favor of a state network?
“It would be a victory for the whole country and we would feel happy,” assures Mr Gorbans. If our business collapses afterwards, that’s a pity! There is not much money to be made from magic mushrooms. It would be something exciting what we would have done for the population first. »
Meta tricked by drug dealers
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Although the production, sale and possession of magic mushrooms is illegal in Canada, a huge online supply is just a click away. Traders compete for their ingenuity to become known. In major cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, billboards with barcodes leading to a virtual store are scattered on poles and billboards. Many ads on Facebook and Instagram also bypass their parent company Meta’s policies. La Presse did the test: all you have to do is search psychedelics in search engines to find the algorithm that sends us publications about illegal businesses dealing in psilocybin, LSD, cannabis and other drugs. Canada. The age of consumers who can partly pay by bank transfer is not always verified. “Our advertising standards make it clear that advertising must not depict, facilitate or promote any illegal product, service or activity,” said a Meta spokesperson. “Whenever we become aware of illegal content being promoted on Facebook, we remove it and have taken additional measures to minimize the possibility of such activity on our platform. »