The Truth About Shroom Chocolates

Is this as common as the other two? No. Did I include it purely because it’s Rick and Morty? Probably.

The economics of 4-AcO-DMT chocolate

Now, you might be saying: “But maybe that packaging is being used to wrap real shroom chocolate.” I agree that sometimes, it might be. But a lot of the time I suspect it isn’t, and here’s why: Buying 4-AcO-DMT as a research chemical is likely much cheaper than acquiring or growing real Psilocybe mushrooms. I’ve seen a wide range of price estimates, mainly from highly dubious research chemical websites. But even the highest of these are generally less than $100 USD per gram.

If most “shroom chocolate” bars are expected to produce a strong psychedelic experience, they’d need between 25-45 milligrams of 4-AcO-DMT per bar. If we split the difference, one gram of 4-AcO would make a little under 30 bars. This would require up to 9kg of chocolate, which shouldn’t cost more than a couple of hundred dollars. The cost of packaging, as we’ve seen, is negligible. Having a production cost of $10 USD per bar wouldn’t be impossible. This is less than half of what most people in the US pay for an eighth of dried shrooms. If the chocolate and research chemicals are cheaper, then the bars will cost even less to produce.

For the record, I know that true believers in the safety and healing power of magic mushrooms and psilocybin are not the people who would make & sell chocolates in such a way. I am, however, willing to bet that these are not the people buying up huge cartons of PolkaDot packaging from China. In a market where consumers have no protection under the law, that unscrupulous individuals will find the cheapest way to make psychoactive products is inevitable. This will, in my opinion, not change until psychedelics are available within some sort of legal/safe supply framework.

6 Tips and Reminders for Psilocybin Chocolate

Consider real magic mushrooms instead

Legally, I can’t recommend you do anything that’s illegal. But if you are determined to experience psilocybin, shroom chocolates may not be the lowest-risk choice if you are in a country or state where they are illegal. Maybe just use mushrooms that you can visually tell are actually shrooms. Despite the flashy packaging, you’re possibly eating something that won’t have passed any food-safety regulations or external quality controls. If you don’t know the person who made the shroom chocolate, you can’t know for sure what’s in it. Consider unprocessed magic mushrooms instead. Of course, if you are acquiring magic mushrooms from someone who has grown or picked them, you need to be sure they’re giving you the right thing. If you are not experienced in foraging for magic mushrooms and correctly identifying them, do not go picking/eating every little brown mushroom you see! There are some look-alikes for some species that can be harmful or even deadly.

Start Low, go slow

If you’re not experienced with psychedelics or psilocybin, don’t jump straight to the highest dose. Whether you’re aiming to microdose or for a more robust experience, make sure you wait at least an hour before taking any additional doses. This is probably still good advice for more experienced psychonauts if you’re trying this sort of product for the first time. Even veteran trippers can get spanked by a research chemical that catches them by surprise.

Choose the right environment & people

Psilocybin mushrooms, especially stronger doses, are best utilized in an environment where you are comfortable and safe, with people that you trust. This might be at home, with blankets, eye masks and a playlist of your favorite calm music. If outdoors, take appropriate precautions and choose your setting carefully. Having a sober companion is always a good idea, and is especially essential for mushroom newbies.

Know your mindset & set your intention

It’s a good idea to know where you are at, psychologically, when you use any form of psilocybin. If you’re in a tough place mentally and emotionally, this can change the nature of your experience. This isn’t to say challenging experiences are inherently bad. Just don’t be surprised if that happens when you’re depressed or anxious. If you have a family history of psychosis or schizophrenia, it’s best if you avoid psychedelics altogether.

It’s also helpful to be clear on what you want to get out of the experience. Are you taking shroom chocolates for fun? Or are you hoping to have a healing experience? Having a clear and honest understanding about your intentions is a great way to manage expectations and stay grounded in the experience.

Seek integration advice or therapy if you need it

Sometimes psilocybin experiences can be profound, like any psychedelic experience. Even if it’s not challenging, how you see the world or yourself can be totally flipped. Often, we can make sense of this by ourselves. But sometimes, we can’t. Luckily, it’s becoming increasingly common for psychologists, psychotherapists, and other counseling professionals to offer integration services. If you’ve had a challenging or confusing journey, they can help you make sense of it and integrate the lessons and themes of that experience back into your life. Integration services can be found via Psychedelic.support or the MAPS Psychedelic integration List. Your local psychedelic society may also be able to offer helpful advice or referrals to appropriate therapists.

Legality

Remember, while shroom chocolate could be more discrete, neon packaging that screams “psychedelic” does make it a little more obvious. There are some cities, states, and countries where possession of either magic mushrooms or 4-AcO-DMT are not a legal problem. This isn’t the case in most places. Always know the law where you are. And if you’re going to ask “are mushroom-infused chocolates legal?” make sure you’re not just talking to the person selling them to you.

Life is like a box of Shroom Chocolates

Because, you never know what you’re gonna get. Due to their unpredictable nature, this is always slightly possible with psychedelic experiences. With shroom chocolates, the fact that you may not know what you’re ingesting adds another layer of uncertainty. It shouldn’t be this way. But, thanks to the irrational prohibition of psychedelics, including psilocybin and 4-AcO-DMT, in most places, it is.

Only changes to drug laws will change improve this situation.

In the meantime, if you are going to buy shroom chocolates, approach them with a critical eye. Do you have a good reason to believe that they are what your plug/dealer says they are? Are you getting them from a website or vendor with a good reputation in psychedelic or mushroom communities?

If you do have an experience with shroom chocolate that makes you think it isn’t what you’d been led to believe, don’t stay silent. What little we know about suspected adulterated bars comes from places like r/shrooms or The Shroomery. These reports help people stay safe, and make it harder for bad vendors to operate. So, no matter how badly you want to trip, think about what you’re doing and seek harm-minimization advice from organizations like DanceSafe in the US, DanceWize in Australia, or your nearest psychedelic society.