The mushroom dispensary Ottawa Renaissance is booming. Businesses in Vancouver are cashing in through legal ketamine therapy, underground ayahuasca and toad venom ceremonies, as well as mushroom sales. One storefront with a rainbow-shiitake fungus painted on its exterior and a cryptic name like Fun Guyz or Shroom City stands out among the sleek wellness boutiques, teak furniture and potted plants that populate other downtown windows.

But while many of these establishments are thriving, they’re also flouting the law. The stores have a 1990s feel to them, when drug laws were looser and owners of “medicinal cannabis” shops openly defied police. Often, raids ensue but little comes of them.

How to Safely Purchase Magic Mushrooms from a Dispensary in Ottawa

Psilocybin, the hallucinogenic substance found in magic mushrooms, is a Schedule III drug, which means it’s illegal to produce, sell or possess it in Canada. However, there are some exceptions, including those for people with mental health conditions who can request a personal exemption from Health Canada or get special access through their doctor.

That hasn’t stopped these mushroom dispensaries from opening across the country, with names like Fun Guyz and Shroom City. Some are located in big cities and others in smaller communities. And, despite police raids in Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto and Vancouver, they keep coming back.

While the stores help normalize psilocybin, their presence still violates provincial and federal drug laws. For that reason, they have a hard time keeping police away. But if the stores continue to thrive, the question is whether authorities can change their approach to psychedelics.