Dozens of people stumbled upon a closed door on Monday at the illegal Funguyz magic mushroom shop that was to open in the Ville-Marie borough of Montreal.
What there is to know
- The illegal Funguyz magic mushroom shop did not open as planned on Monday.
- The Legault government, like the SPVM, recalls that the sale of magic mushrooms is illegal.
- For its part, the office of the mayoress of Montreal, Valérie Plante, reiterates its support for the decriminalization of simple possession of drugs for personal use.
” I’m disappointed. They don’t even answer the phone,” dropped Michel Lefebvre, met Monday afternoon in front of the store on rue Ontario, at the intersection of avenue Papineau. The 75-year-old was looking forward to being able to come and get magic mushrooms in person. “I don’t trust online products,” he says.
The chain of magic mushroom stores Funguyz, which already has 11 stores in Canada, announced its opening in Montreal on Monday. However, the establishment was still closed at the end of the evening on Monday, when The Presswithout knowing the reason.
Inside, however, an employee said it would be officially open late Tuesday morning, but declined to comment further.
However, many customers came on Monday afternoon for the occasion. “I wanted to have Golden Teacher”, confided Michel Lefebvre. On the Funguyz website, Golden Teacher is described as the safest and mildest variety of Psilocybe Cubensis magic mushrooms.
A large number of onlookers stopped in front of the establishment, whose inscription reads “Magic mushroom shop”. The shop windows are covered with posters of blue and pink mushrooms, making it impossible to see inside.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The shop’s windows are covered with posters of blue and pink mushrooms, making it impossible to see inside.
Other people turned back, looking disappointed, seeing that the trade opening had not yet taken place. “Okay, I’ll go to the black market instead,” exclaimed a young man before leaving the scene.
“We don’t want to see this kind of trade”
Trade is not welcomed by the Legault government. The Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, clearly closes the door, arguing that he “does not want to see this kind of trade on our territory”.
“Hallucinogenic drugs like magic mushrooms are illegal. Selling this type of product can lead to criminal charges. The police forces are on the lookout to enforce the laws on the territory, ”said his press secretary, Roxanne Bourque, on Monday.
The production, sale and possession of magic mushrooms are illegal in Canada. However, it is possible to have legal access for therapeutic purposes, through a Health Canada program in effect since January 2022. However, access is very limited.
At the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), spokesperson Anik de Repentigny maintains that “the retail sale of magic mushrooms and derivatives of their active substance, psilocybin, is governed by the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (LRCDAS)”.
“As this drug is prohibited under Schedule III of the CDSA, the SPVM is entitled to apply the regulation as it is written in the Criminal Code if offenses were to be committed. The SPVM is following this file closely, ”she wrote. For the rest, the Montreal police do not intend to reveal “its intentions or its intervention strategies” in this case, added Ms.me of Repentigny.
Decriminalization “saves lives”
In the office of the mayoress of Montreal, Valérie Plante, it is however judged that “from a public health perspective, the decriminalization of simple possession of drugs for personal use saves lives by reducing harm”.
“This is also a position that is shared by Montreal, while a statement to this effect was adopted by city council. However, despite our administration’s strong position regarding the decriminalization of simple drug possession, the sale of psilocybin remains illegal and the SPVM will therefore continue to apply the law,” says press officer Catherine Cadotte.
With Vincent Larin, The Press