Sorry for dropping the ball on this one, life just keeps dishing out curved balls for me..
I've briefly talked with
@FlagellaStink and understand the Magazine has been put om a hold.
Dama Larson did respond back and answered in great depth for the article. Life just got in the way,.
Seeing as the magazine is still on hold. I have some down time this weekend and can work on getting this interview composed into an article and submitted for the magazine hopefully bringing us ome submissing closer to a revival.
Just wondering what the scope should be for the artical, I was thinking of just writing a short bio/Intro as to who Dana Larson is amd what he is about and then go right into the Intview. Dana Larson answered the questions pretty indepth for the most part and letting him get His answers out in his now words would do the article the best justice I feel. And help further his cause which alines quite closely with us like minded people of th Nexus,
Here was our last correspondence amd him answering for the article
I am so sorry for the delay. Here's my replies. I hope you're still able to use this.
1. What dangers does running your mushroom business pose for you?
2. I know you have been raided in the past for selling magic mushrooms, closed down and reopened as quickly as the next day, how are you able to continue operating with out repercussions from the police.
3. How are these gray area dispensaries operating openly with such minimal police presence?
We've only been raided once, on November 1, 2023. The raid was financially devastating, we lost all of our inventory and cash at all three storefronts, plus we're saddled with extensive legal fees. However, I was the only one arrested, and was released with no charges or conditions after a few hours in custody. It is still possible they may choose to charge me, but as time passes the odds of that happening diminishes.
Vancouver police are under a lot of public pressure not to raid shops like ours. This is the same as it was during the decade before legalization, when medical cannabis dispensaries proliferated in the city and raids were very rare. The reality is that the laws against providing these substances for medical purposes are quite weak in Canada. During the pre-legalization years, there were many court decisions favouring cannabis dispensaries and supporting their operation, and we are seeing the same thing now when it comes to mushrooms and psychedelics.
When there are raids, the courts aren't really willing to impose serious penalties, so shops are often able to re-open quickly, making the raid kind of pointless for the police.
However, there is still a real risk to myself and our staff. These laws do exist, they can be enforced, and even if charges are dropped in the end or you are vindicated in court, you have still lost a lot during the process. And of course you might not win in court and end up with a serious penalty. It's not all a cakewalk, running a shop like this and going through a raid is very challenging emotionally, psychically and financially.
4. To run a business one needs a business license. Are the cities where these brick and mortar dispensaries are operating granting business licenses to mushroom dispensaries? How are they gettint around this aspect or the running a business?
Most such shops don't try for a business license. You just open up and then try to deal with the pressure and penalties for running a business without a license. That is not a criminal offence, it's a bylaw so it's more like an expensive and complicated parking ticket.
However, we did get a license for our first location before opening, as a cafe, which it is. For our second location we also got a license as a retail store before opening. Of course this requires some subterfuge, but taking away a license is more complicated than it is to go after someone without one.
And in this case, after the Chief License Inspector tried to take away one of our licenses, a committee of city councillors ordered our license to be returned! The Chief License Inspector has refused to comply, sending us back to court again. Sometimes the legal battles seem to go in circles, but as our lawyer often reminds me, every day we're in court is another day we're able to stay open.
5. Why are you so passionate about magic mushrooms and working towards legalizing them?
I'm passionate about dismantling the drug war in its entirety. I spent about thirty years working to end cannabis prohibition, which we accomplished in 2018. But for me cannabis was only the first step, and the next step will be mushrooms and psychedelics. I want to see the end of the whole drug war, which I see as a war against the world's best and most culturally relevant plants.
Cannabis flowers, psilocybe mushrooms, coca leaves, opium poppies, peyote cactus and so on, these are the world's best plants, and at its root the global drug war is a genocide against all these beneficial plant medicines and the many cultures that use and revere them. I see this as one of the most important issues facing the modern world. The drug war is a lynchpin which props up things like mass incarceration, global conflict, political corruption, colonialism and obscene profiteering. Dismantling the global drug war is a necessity if we want a better future for ourselves and future generations.
Also, since opening this shop I have met thousands of people who have told me how mushrooms and psychedelics have improved their lives in all kinds of wonderful ways. That is such an incredible reward when someone tells me how access to our shop and the products we provide has transformed their life for the better.
6. You opened your first mushroom dispensary in 2020, and have since expanded and opened 2 more brick and mortar store fronts. Do you have any plans to expand further, even in other provinces across Canada?
No. I prefer to remain in Vancouver. I encourage others to follow our example in other cities, but I am not looking to start any kind of franchise or other shops in other cities.
7. What kind of mushroom products and services do you offer through your medical dispensary? How smoothly has the implementation of these products gone?
We are the only shop in the world where someone can walk in and buy not only an incredible selection of psilocybe mushrooms, but also psychedelics like LSD, NN-DMT, psilacetin, peyote, san pedro, and other plant medicines like kratom and coca leaf. We are absolutely unique in this regard.
8. You run a service called "Get your drugs tested" so you have a background and true interest in harm reduction for the public. I'm curious, what kind of harm reduction is available to the general public for new psychedelic users who are becoming interested in psychedelics for both medical and recreational uses; who may not have experience as of yet with these substances?
I founded Get Your Drugs Tested in 2019, and it is now the world's busiest free street drug analysis centre. We recently tested our 70,000th sample, with all results posted on our website.
In terms of our psychedelic products, we work to ensure maximum benefit with minimum risk through providing free user guides for every product we sell, and having staff able to guide and advise people on their use.
9. How do you approach the topic of harm reduction with your own products, considering they're extremely mind-altering and can be misused by anyone too uninformed?
Well psychedelics are generally considered quite safe, but we do strongly warn and advise people against driving, swimming, climbing or any other risky activities while under the influence. We also advise against people using certain other drugs and substances from taking psychedelics. Our user guides are a valuable resource.
10. I would also be interested to know how we as a community pushing to have these substances available to adults should facilitate harm reduction and safe ethical use?
I think the main issues with psychedelics is knowing what to expect, and being sure of the dose and purity of what you ingest. We make sure our customers know what to expect and what an appropriate dosage is. Generally speaking, as psychedelics become more available, accurate labelling and warning is key for informed, safer use.
11. How should we as a community pushing forward with legalization address the youth with harm reduction and proper information about these substances. With these substances becoming more available younger generations will inevitably find ways of aquiring them. How should we approach this aspect as a community?
Warning labels, childproof packaging and age limits for sales are the main factors in terms of regulation. I don't think we need to demonize or glamorize the use of psychedelics for minors. For the most part these substances are very safe, even for minors, but it is best if they are only sold and available to adults.
12. What are your thoughts on how Canada should focus on phasing in the legalization of magic mushrooms?
13. Should supply for dispensaries be handled by the Government or Privately operated grows?
14. Should Personal Recreational/Medical grows be legalized tor the home mycologist?
15. If personal growing is legalized, how should the powers that be determine how much is legally allowed to grow and possess? Do you see that happening in the future, and how would that influence your business?
I don't see any need to limit the amount of mushrooms an adult can grow or possess. I don't see the need for such limits when it comes to cannabis either, but in Canada legalization came with a four plant per household limit. Since mushrooms are easier and safer to grow than cannabis, without the need for indoor lighting and other aspects required for indoor cannabis growing, there is even less need for such limits.
Legislative changes to Canada's mushroom laws are many years away, and will have no immediate effects on my business or any other mushroom dispensaries.
16. How should legalization look for psilocybin-containing mushrooms? Only Psilocybin Cubensis? Or all psychedelic mushrooms, such as Psilocybin Cyanescens/Panaeclus Cyanescens and all other psychoactive fungi? Some of the latter can be quite a bit more potent than Psilocybin Cubensis and not as user-friendly.
All plants and mushrooms should be allowed. The idea that any plant should be forbidden seems kind of ridiculous when you think about it. Plus, in practical terms, it would be very difficult to have police trying to determine which species of mushroom they are dealing with.
17. I'm interested in getting a general idea of where all these magic mushrooms are coming from to fuel & supply the shroom boom and these grey area dispensaries operating at the moment?
There's lots of small and medium scale mushroom producers out there. We have people coming in every week trying to sell us new mushroom products. Most of them aren't up to our standards, but the reality is there is a growing mushroom cultivation industry in Canada, fuelled mainly by small-scale, artisan producers.
18. What does the clandestine mushroom grower community look like in these new times?
Like anybody else, except they have a bunch of mushrooms growing in their basement.
19. There is a huge rise in people interested in all forms of psychedelics for both medical and personal use be it recreational or therapeutic. Being one of the biggest names in Canada's drug reform, how do you feel Canada should proceed with drug reform?
Well I think we should immediately repeal all our drug prohibition laws and try a whole new approach based on human rights, safe access and responsible use.
20. How did you manage to get your mushroom business off the ground, considering the legal controversy surrounding these gray-market products?
I had extensive experience in the cannabis dispensary world, and really in many ways it is very similar now with mushroom and psychedelic shops as it was with cannabis dispensaries pre-legalization.
21. Do we have any political support here in Canada, behind the legalization or Magic Mushrooms as of yet? If not how do should we go about generating support from political groups as a community?
We need there to be millions more one-on-one conversations about mushrooms and psychedelics before we can change the law. Not only does there need to be broad public support, but there needs to be a feeling that this is an issue crucial enough to be at the top of the pile in terms of actual legislation. I think we are many years from mushroom legalization in Canada. It will probably be the next Liberal government after Trudeau that changes the law, and that could be a while.
If you want to see these laws get changed, talk to people. Talk to everyone you know about the benefits of mushrooms and psychedelics, and the harms of prohibition.
22. How often do you encounter police or political figures purchasing your products? Are there any stories you have to tell about that?
I believe that the VPD has a program where officers can access psilocybin for therapeutic purposes, but they're not getting their product from me.
I have not had any politicians come in to buy shrooms, and I imagine they would be reluctant to out themselves like that.
23. Has there been any community pushback towards mushroom dispensaries? How would you respond to those who are opposed to the idea of legalizing psychedelics?
I don't get much direct pushback. There's the odd person who comes into our shop to complain that we exist, but they are a tiny minority and not a serious concern. I think the vast majority of Canadians support the existence of our shops, or at least aren't bothered that we exist.
24. How do you feel your work has impacted the community? Has it been a rewarding experience?
I know we benefit our communities. I meet so many people every day who tell me how psychedelics have improved their lives, how grateful they are for our shops, and for being able to access Get Your Drugs Tested. I know I'm doing the right thing here.
25. Do you have any stories from customers that have seen benefits from using your products,, i know it is very hard for medical patients to access mushrooms here in Canada at this time legally.
I have had people come to our shops from across the US, and from as far as Korea, China, Japan, Africa and South America. Often they tell me the only reason they came to Vancouver was to visit our storefront. I love being a beacon of freedom to people around the world, and hope to inspire them to create similar storefronts in their own communities.
I regularly meet people who have found mushrooms a replacement for anti-depressants, who have reduced or quit use of other drugs including opiates, stimulants and alcohol through the use of psychedelic therapy. So many people have told me how psychedelics have helped them be happier, healthier, better humans, and allowed them to improve their relationships with friends, family and themselves.
We have some clients who have serious ailments like cystic fibrosis and chronic pain, who find incredible relief and benefits from mushroom use. The benefits of these substances are only beginning to be explored.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SORRY AGAIN FOR BEING SLOW ON THIS.
I HOPE YOU'RE STILL ABLE TO USE THIS.
DANA LARSEN
Author, advocate and activist for cannabis and drug policy reform
DanaLarsen.com - MushroomDispensary.com -
CannabisDispensary.ca - CocaLeafCafe.com - PotheadBooks.com - CannabisHistory.ca - GetYourDrugsTested.com
