You might associate “magic mushrooms” with psychedelic trips and vivid hallucinations, but a new breed of mushroom-based products showing up in Florida smoke shops is challenging that perception.
While psilocybin—the active hallucinogenic compound in traditional magic mushrooms—remains illegal in Florida as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, retailers have found a legal workaround. The latest wave of so-called “psilocybin-free” mushroom products is hitting shelves across the state, raising both eyebrows and questions.
At the Chillum Smoke Shop in downtown St. Petersburg, owner Carlos Hermida says interest is growing.
“Magic mushrooms are a controversial subject,” Hermida said. “Some people are scared of them because of the hallucinations, but others see them as a treatment for depression, anxiety, or PTSD.”
These mushrooms are part of the same Psilocybe cubensis species—but with one key difference: the psilocybin has been bred out.
“This is actually the first form of Psilocybin cubensis that’s legal in all 50 states,” Hermida explained. “It’s a new breed, completely psilocybin-free.”
That makes them legal to buy, but there’s a catch.
“It’s not like you’d get arrested for consuming it,” Hermida said. “But it is illegal to sell it for consumption purposes.”
Although these mushrooms don’t contain psilocybin, they still carry other naturally occurring compounds found in their species—like tryptamines, which can be mildly psychoactive.
So how do smoke shops sell them legally?
“Some people like to study these tryptamine products when they’re suspended in a gelatinous mold,” said Hermida. “They contain a very small amount of tryptamines for those studying microdosing concepts.”
Despite being sold in the form of chocolates and gummies, Hermida emphasizes the products are “not for consumption”—a technicality that helps retailers comply with federal law.
“Even though they’re in gummy form and flavored with sugar, they’re not marketed for eating,” Hermida told Gulf Coast News.
But not everyone is sold on the trend.
“I’m not the biggest fan,” said one shopper. “I don’t dabble in any of the OTC [over-the-counter] products they might offer you…” said Stevie Smock, a Smoke Shop customer in Fort Myers, “There’s a lot of gray area where you can fly under the radar in Florida with OTC products,” another customer said. “If people are experimenting, let them.”
For Hermida, legality and transparency go hand in hand. He says the products his shop carries are lab-tested and properly labeled.
“We’ve worked with the manufacturer for five years,” he said. “We’ve never had any issues with safety, our customers have been receptive, and we make sure everything is tested for what’s in them—and what’s not.”
As mushroom-based supplements continue to enter the mainstream—particularly in states like Oregon, Colorado, and New Mexico where psilocybin is approved for therapeutic use—Florida’s market may soon face new debates around legality, science, and ethics.
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