2nd illegal magic mushroom shop now open in downtown London, Ont.
Konrad Lesniara couldn’t believe his eyes when he was walking on Dundas Street in downtown London Monday morning.
“I looked and I [saw] a big beautiful sign and I was like 'Is that was I think that is?'” said Lesniara.
It was exactly what he thought — a new magic mushroom shop had opened just an hour earlier. Shroomyz officially opened its doors on Dundas Street just east of Waterloo Street.
“We would like to really help people get off opiates,” said Bobbie Richards, the store’s manager. “This is a better alternative a more natural alternative. We've got gummies, chocolate bars, our little mini bites and then we have capsules for people who don't really like the taste so they can take it in a capsule and still get the benefits from it.”
Mushrooms contain the drug psilocybin. It is illegal to produce, sell and possess in Canada.
CTV News London spoke with the London Police Service about possible enforcement.
Konrad Lesniara shows off the mushroom chocolate bars he purchased at Shroomyz in London, Ont. on April 22, 2024. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
“As always, we will prioritize enforcement and resources in the context of community safety and harm,” Acting Sgt. Sandasha Bough said in a statement. “We also work with our community partners such as the City of London, municipal by-law enforcement, the Middlesex-London Health Unit and others when appropriate to educate business and property owners about existing laws and licensing requirements.”
Police said they will step in when necessary, as seen in the past with officers raiding these types of locations.
“In London, individuals who illegally possess or traffic in substances that are scheduled in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act are dealt with by the London Police Service,” added Bough.
Richards is expecting officials to eventually come calling.
"I do think we might have a little bit of blowback from them,” said Richards. “I’m kind of hoping that they just kind of leave us alone as we are not pushing anything. We're not out there peddling it in the streets. We are sitting in a grey area.”
She said the push for legalization is gaining steam.
Shroomyz has opened an illegal magic mushroom shop in downtown London, Ont. on April 22, 2024 (Brent Lale/CTV News London)“There has been stuff submitted for the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] and with the government. So we're just kind of literally sitting waiting with our hands crossed, hoping and praying that they will decriminalize it,” she explained.
According to users, mushrooms help with pain and anxiety.
“I suffer from juvenile arthritis in my back and knees, and I suffer from not eating and sleeping properly,” explained Keneisha Groff. "I smoke weed to help, but with mushrooms you can eat a bar of chocolate, and you get the same feeling you get from smoking an ounce of weed."
Lesniara expects to be a repeat customer.
“I find on the next day after using this type of stuff, you feel better, you feel clear minded and it's like a reset button. It's like pressing the reset button for your emotions,” he said.
Richards meanwhile hopes they’ll have “a long life here and be able to be pretty prosperous.”
Shroomyz has opened an illegal magic mushroom shop in downtown London, Ont. on April 22, 2024 (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.