Magic mushroom shop shut down by police one day after opening in Hamilton

Hamilton police shut down a shopselling illegal magic mushrooms, one day after itopened on Main Street East, the service said.

The Mushroom Cabinet was open for three hours on itssecond day of operations when officers arrived and arrested two people before shutting the store down and confiscating mushrooms as evidence, police said in a release Wednesday.

Police said they had obtained a warrant Tuesday morning to shut the business down.

Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are illegal underthe Controlled Drugs and Substance Act, police said.

Hamilton police said they continue to investigate the store and the owner of the property.

On Monday, the shop's social media accounts announced its opening, calling it the city's "first and only mushroom dispensary."

Owner stands by medicinal use of mushrooms

A press release sent to local mediaearlier this weeksaidthe owner, John Francis,"believes that access to medicinal use of mushrooms can help people suffering" from mental health issues or other addictions.

In September, a dispensary chain that first opened in Ottawa calledShroomyzbecame Toronto's first mushroom dispensary.In November, two men one from Hamilton, another from Toronto werearrested and charged following an investigation into thestore, Toronto police said.

Shroomyz's manager, who previously spoke to Radio-Canada under condition of anonymity, said his store exists as a "medical protest."

Since the November raid, Torontosaidit hadno plans to use its powers to shut down the dispensary, leaving the shop tooperatein a kind of grey area.

WATCH | Magic mushrooms and mental health:

Could magic mushrooms be the future of mental health treatment?

2 years ago

Duration 10:12

A handful of Canadians have legally used magic mushrooms, or psilocybin, to treat mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression and cope with dying. Advocates say it could revolutionize mental health treatment, but researchers want to find out whether a psychedelic trip is needed to see benefits from the treatment.