Cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms – more commonly known as magic mushrooms – have distinct effects on the brain and body.
However, some people mix the two together in hopes of having a truly incredible experience.
But are the two substances congruent with each other? Is there anything you should be aware of before mixing the two drugs?
Cannabis v Magic mushrooms
When you consume cannabis, you’re likely to experience feelings of euphoria and relaxation. On the other hand, a few grams of magic mushrooms are likely to produce a full-scale psychedelic experience as the substance activates with your serotonin receptors.
Human consumption of both cannabis and magic mushrooms goes back centuries, with many cultures across the globe having consumed these psychoactive substances for a variety of health, spiritual and creative purposes.
They’ve been predominantly popular drugs because they are natural sources of psychoactiove compounds – THC is cannabsi and psilocybin in magic mushrooms.
Both alter our states of consciousness in different ways, but the question is, is it safe to mix the two? And what happens when you do?
First, we need to get to grips with both individually.
Understanding cannabis
There is a wide variety of ways to consume cannabis, but the way it’s administered into the body can change how the substance reacts to the body, the duration, and the overall experience.
The most popular method, of course, is to smoke cannabis. Mainly because of how simple the process is and how quick it is to feel the effects. But vaping cannabis is also becoming increasingly common.
Edibles are also popular, and while the onset normally takes more time, the duration of the experience is longer and more intense.
You can also take cannabis by placing a few drops of oil under the tongue (sublingual administration). This process allows the cannabinoids like THC to directly enter the bloodstream, providing a rapid onset without needing to smoke or vape.
High-THC cannabis products tend to produce these characteristics and side effects:
- Feelings of euphoria
- Relaxation
- Open-mindedness
- Red eyes
- Dry mouth
- Increased appetite
But, when you consume a little too much, you could also experience feelings of paranoia and anxiety.
Understanding magic mushrooms
While there is a myriad of ways to consume cannabis, options are slightly restricted when it comes to mushrooms.
Shrooms can be eaten fresh or dried on their own, infused with other foods like chocolate, or made into tea or coffee.
You can also make magic mushrooms tinctures, although these aren’t very common.
The onset is longer than cannabis, normally taking around an hour to kick in, but the psychedelic experience typically lasts around 4-6 hours.
And, depending on the dose, mushrooms produce a much more profound cognitive experience that involves intense feelings of euphoria, uncontrollable laughter, and enhanced senses.
But high doses can lead to extremely intense hallucinations, ego death, and in some cases, disconnection from reality.
Can you mix the two?
To be honest, nobody is certain of how the two compounds work together, and the science behind it is quite limited.
However, anecdotal reports suggest that THC can increase and/or prolong a mushrooms trip’s intensity. This could also be enjoyable for some but may become uncomfortable for people who don’t have much experience with mushrooms.
There are a number of positive reports online of using high-CBD strains to combat nausea and anxiety some people experience on the come-up from mushrooms.
On the surface, it doesn’t appear that mixing the two substances pose any serious health risks, so the biggest concerns involve having an uncomfortable experience whilst tripping.
Overall, the experience really depends on the quantity of each dose, as well as the tolerance and experience of the consumer.
Best practices
The best way to ensure a positive psychedelic experience is to be aware of your setting, or in other words, your environment.
For example, if you’re already feeling down, or you’re in an unfamiliar place with people you don’t fully trust, it’s more likely that you’ll have a negative experience.
So, you need to make sure you’re psychologically and physically comfortable before you begin.
It’s better to take a slow approach by becoming familiar with the compounds and start by taking a low dose of each, giving them plenty of time to kick in before thinking about taking more.
The use of psychedelics is becoming increasingly popular for treating mental health conditions, but there’s still a lot more to find out.
For this reason, if you have a history of mental health conditions, you’ll need to proceed with caution as trips can sometimes make symptoms worse.
Dealing with a bad trip
Nobody wants a bad trip, but in reality, it can happen to the best of us.
More often than not, a bad trip just involves anxiety and paranoia. However, on higher doses, hallucinations may also be present.
Therefore, bringing a sober friend along with you – ideally one who has experience with magic mushrooms – can help massively with these negative experiences. This is known as a “trip-sitter”.
Removing any mirrors from your setting is also a good idea. For many consumers, particularly those with minimal experience with psilocybin, mirrors can provoke overwhelming hallucinations.
In most cases, the best way to deal with a bad trip is to surrender yourself to the experience instead of trying to control it, and realising that it’s just the compound’s effects and that they’ll soon pass by.
The bottom line
Weed and magic mushrooms share similarities, but both have distinct effects on the brain and body.
Many people choose to smoke weed with high THC to increase the psychedelic nature of the pscilocybin experience.
While others find taking CBD alongside mushrooms helps to reduce the side effects and can promote a more peaceful journey.
Cannabis and mushrooms can stimulate creativity, inspire laughter and joy, and enhance the beauty of nature and art.
But if the timing is off, they can open the door to some inner problems and negative emotions.
If you’re someone that often experiences pre-trip anxiety, or anxiety when smoking weed on its own, then it’s probably better for you to go without cannabis for the duration of your trip.
If you want to take them both together, it’s recommended that you experience them both individually and start super slow. Familiarise yourself with your surroundings, your mind, and your body.
