Mattha Busby
- Mattha Busby is a freelance journalist with a keen interest in health, human rights, and the environment. He's contributed to the Guardian, Observer, London Times, VICE, Jacobin, and Leafly. His first book, 'Should All Drugs Be Legalised?,' was published by Thames & Hudson in 2022. Find his work here. Follow him on Twitter here.
Latest Articles
News
Wellness Influencer Will Spend Eight Years in Prison for Human Trafficking
Kat Torres has officially been sentenced to eight years in prison for human trafficking and slavery of a Brazilian woman who followed her on Instagram.
Culture
Elon Musk and Rep. Dan Crenshaw Take Public Stand Against Critics of MDMA-Assisted Therapy
The tech tycoon and GOP congressman took to X to publicly oppose researchers and academics who are critical of the MAPS/Lykos MDMA therapy model.
Mycology
6 of the Best Books About Foraging for Edible and Psychedelic Mushrooms
Arm yourself with the knowledge to forage only the mushrooms you actually want, and not the dangerous lookalikes.
News
Oregon Wants to Shut Down Psilocybin Facilitation Program Over Religious Training Claims
The owner says her training is a religious practice, but the state disagrees, making this issue the first legal battle of its kind in Oregon.
Culture
Major Streaming Service Under Fire for Spreading Misinformation About Ayahuasca Retreat Death
Despite a lawsuit proving its inaccuracy, a Netflix docuseries featuring Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church of Mother Earth continues to air false information about a participant's death.
Mycology
An Intro to Psilohuasca, the Latest Understudied Psychedelic Drug Combo
The use of psilohuasca is a relatively new practice that is still steeped in mystery.
Culture
Mushrooms Are Everyone’s Favorite Psychedelic, According to Data
The RAND Corporation reports that psilocybin mushrooms are overwhelmingly the most popular psychedelic, followed by MDMA in second place and LSD in third.
News
People Are Accidentally Tripping on Weird Fishes
Several species of fish are known to have psychedelic effects, but most people who have tried them did so accidentally—and had an unpleasant experience.
Magic Mushrooms Explained
Which Psychedelic Mushroom Is the Strongest?
It seems like a simple question, but it's surprisingly thorny.
Health & Wellness
Cluster Headache Patient Wins Federal Court Case to Access Mushrooms
A "suicide headache" patient wins a federal court case in Canada that will grant him access to legally use psilocybin mushrooms.
News
“A Wild West”: How Amanita muscaria Gummies Mislead Buyers
Some manufacturers say they're selling Amanita muscaria gummies, while in practice, packing the gummies with other drugs.
News
Colombia’s President Admits to Drinking Ayahuasca
The Colombian president might be the first sitting government official in the world to admit to drinking the Amazonian brew.
How to Grow Mushrooms
5 of the Best Mushroom Grow Bags For Beginners
Many retailers sell mushroom grow bags designed to help mushrooms thrive without requiring a ton of background knowledge.
Science
Psychedelic Visuals Are Produced in the Backs of Our Eyeballs, New Theory Suggests
Why do we trip? One neuroscientist out of Maastricht University says our retinas are responsible for the visuals we experience on psychedelics.
Mycology
The Best Books About Growing Psychedelic Mushrooms
These books have enabled readers to become amateur mycologists and grow their own shrooms at home.
News
Psychedelic Church Sues for Defamation After Lab Test Raises Hope for Presence of Novel Drug
The Church of Sacred Synthesis, formerly known as the "Church of Psilomethoxin," says lab tests confirm their sacrament contains a rare psychedelic called psilomethoxin. Now, they're suing everyone who discredited them on the internet.
Mental Health
Dr. Ben Sessa Gets Suspended From Practicing Psychiatry for Sexual Misconduct
The prominent psychedelic researcher will be prohibited from practicing psychiatry in the UK for a year after having an intimate relationship with a former patient.
Equity + Indigenous Reciprocity
Spanish Police Bust Ayahuasca Syndicate for Unspecified Sex Crimes and Workers’ Rights Violations
Inner Mastery International’s founder, Alverto Varela, died before he was able to face trial following a crackdown on his retreat empire.
Equity + Indigenous Reciprocity
Navajo Nation Decries Funerals on the Moon
These private companies sent cremated human remains to the moon. Navajo Nation spoke up. "We’re turning the moon into a graveyard, and we’re turning it into a waste site.”
Equity and Reciprocity
Shipibo Curandero Stabbed Six Times by Westerner Seeking Ayahuasca
A man seeking treatment for substance use disorder severely injured a 76-year-old Shipibo curandero, highlighting the risks of psychedelic tourism for Indigenous healers.
Culture
The Heirs to a Vault of Novel Psychedelics Take a Trip Into the Unknown
The psychedelic chemist Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin left behind more than 500 psychedelic compounds. A research institute continuing his legacy is scouring the collection for overlooked gems
News
This Veteran-Founded Church Wants to Sell Psychedelics At Your Local Drug Store
After controversy, the Church of Psilomethoxin has far-out dreams for new business
Art + Culture
Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind
The neglected history of 19th century drug use
Culture
Kava and Kratom: A Story of How Two Plants Became Entangled in the Extremes of Western Culture and Policy
Kava and kratom have been consumed for centuries by other cultures—so why aren’t more people taking these powerful plants?
Mycology
Psilocybin Found in “Legal” Amanita Muscaria Gummies at Florida Shroom Dispensary
These “legal” gummies may not be so legal—but it’s impossible to confirm the results
Mental Health
Unhappy at Work? Maybe Your Boss Just Needs to Trip
CEOs and business leaders are doing psychedelics—and claiming their companies are better off for it
News
Massachusetts is Leading the Way on Psychedelic Reform. Here’s the Latest.
Oregon and Colorado have been getting a lot of attention. Meanwhile, Massachusetts has been decriminalizing city by city—and is now considering statewide change
LEGALIZATION
It’s Going to Cost $2800 to Have a Psilocybin Session at Oregon’s First Licensed Center
It hasn’t stopped people from signing up on a waiting list
Mycology
Farmer in India Pioneers a Way to Grow Mushrooms in Sub-Zero Temperature
In recent decades, mushroom cultivation has transformed the lives of thousands in the Northern part of the country
News
You Can Now Buy Shrooms Online in the U.S. But Should You?
From magic chocolate bars to gummies, the digital shroom market is in full swing
Mental Health
How Tripping with my Brother Helped Us Grieve Our Father’s Death
With our guards down, we found closure—together
Mycology
The First Legal Magic Mushroom Farms Are Approved to Grow in Oregon
Shroom growers are among the first legal psilocybin businesses to be licensed in the state, which will allow guided journeys in the coming months
OPINION
Should All Drugs Be Legalized?
Journalist Mattha Busby explores a world without prohibition in his new book
Culture
Psychedelic Legend Amanda Feilding is Turning 80—And Her Retreats are Open for Business
After 57 Years, psilocybin retreats are finally a reality for the most influential woman in psychedelic science.
News
Colorado Legalized Psilocybin Experiences. What’s Next?
Over the next year, Colorado will figure out what its regulated psychedelic system will look like. Here’s what’s at stake.
News
Illegal Shroom Dispensaries in the US and Canada are Getting Busted
Nice try, folks, but you may be a little too far ahead of the psychedelic curve
Equity and Access
There’s a Worldwide Spike in Arrests of Plant Medicine Practitioners
From Mexico to the Czech Republic, facilitators are currently being held for transporting ayahuasca, peyote, and other ancestral medicines
LEGALIZATION
BREAKING: Colorado Legalizes Psilocybin Sessions in Historic Vote
Voters in the Centennial state just legalized guided magic mushroom experiences—and decriminalized personal use.
News
There’s Now a Shroom Dispensary in the US
With gummies, powders, and capsules on sale, this Florida shop says they’ve found a legal loophole
News
Why Everyone Cares So Much About Colorado’s Psilocybin Bill
It represents a larger nationwide debate over psychedelic reform—here’s what you need to know
Politics
Where Are Magic Mushrooms Legal?
The legal status of psilocybin globally is in flux. Here's where you can journey without prosecution—sort of
Art + Culture
15 Legal Ways to Trip Right Now
Finding psychedelics is always risky in an era of prohibition. Here's how you can journey without breaking the law.
Art + Culture
Fake “MDMA Shop” Opens so People Can Experience What Buying Legal MDMA Would Be Like
You may be able to buy MDMA in a store like this one day—if Dutch activists get their way
LEGALIZATION
Connecticut to Offer Legal MDMA and Psilocybin Therapy as Early as Next Year
Ahead of federal approval, Connecticut seeks to lay the groundwork for psychedelic treatments in the state
Mycology
The Viagra of the Himalayas—the World’s Most Expensive Fungus—Faces Serious Decline Due to Growing Demand
The caterpillar fungus sells for as much as $140 per gram in the markets of China.
LEGALIZATION
Biden Administration Prepares for Legalization of MDMA and Psilocybin Within Two Years
In the wake of a growing mental health crisis, the feds get ready for legal psychedelic therapy