The latest retail trend in Winnipeg is a magic mushroom dispensery where people buy dried mushrooms to take home and infused products like drinks and gummies. The store, which opened in May in the Osborne Village neighborhood, is one of many across Canada that’s challenging existing rules on psilocybin.

Canada has a long way to go before it legalizes magic mushroom dispensaries. But that hasn’t stopped shops and websites from popping up online and in stores in cities like Vancouver and Toronto. Storefronts have names like Fun Guyz and Shroom City and feature paintings of colorful fungus on their exteriors. Staff hand out discount fliers in the intersection.

CBC reporter Josh Crabb visited the store and says it’s hard to miss. Inside, it’s a small space with a selection of dried mushrooms in bags and bottles with price tags attached. There’s also a selection of gummies, beverages and tinctures to choose from. The staff is friendly and helpful but they won’t tell you how the mushrooms are grown.

A New Frontier: Navigating the Legality and Regulation of Magic Mushroom Dispensaries

The store owners, who launched similar dispensaries in Ottawa and Toronto, say they’re not trying to profit from the business. They hope to see the same reaction from police that they got in those cities, which was a presence to make sure the business is operating safely and only to adults.

The federal government warns that eating magic mushrooms can cause hallucinations and a range of side effects including anxiety, fear, muscle twitches and increased heart rate and blood pressure. It’s classified as a Schedule III substance, the same category as cannabis. But the federal Drug Enforcement Administration says spores that produce magic mushrooms are not, on their own, prohibited.