Psychedelic Laws in Newfoundland & Labrador: Mushrooms, LSD, MDMA, & More
Fun fact: Newfoundland and Labrador has its own time zone 🕰️ That has nothing to do with psychedelics, but you can tuck that little tidbit away. It might come in handy.
Although magic mushrooms are illegal in Newfoundland & Labrador, the penalties are pretty relaxed throughout Canada.
Here, you’ll learn about the legality of various psychedelics and psychoactive substances throughout the province.
We’ll also explore where magic mushrooms can be found locally and delve into some of the upcoming legal changes working their way through the Canadian legal system as we speak.
Summary of Psychedelic Drug Laws in Newfoundland & Labrador
- Psychedelics are illegal in Newfoundland & Labrador, but there is an initiative to decriminalize some of them.
- Marijuana is legal, both recreational and medicinal, throughout Canada.
- Ketamine is legal for medical purposes in Canada (a common treatment for depression & PTSD).
- Psilocybin is legal for medical use in Canada, but there aren’t any programs in Newfoundland & Labrador — yet.
Are Magic Mushrooms Legal in Newfoundland & Labrador?
Psilocybin is legal for medical use in Newfoundland & Labrador — but the only approved treatment at the moment is existential anxiety in terminally ill patients. Recreational use of psilocybin remains illegal in all Canadian provinces.
Canadian law considers psilocybin a Schedule III restricted substance. Penalties consist of fines up to $1,000 and up to six months in prison for a first offense. However, punishment to this degree is exceptionally rare here.
However, a new petition (e-2534) to the House of Commons aims to decriminalize magic mushrooms at the national level. It aims to remove penalties for those who trade or use mushrooms for personal use. The sale and commercialization of magic mushrooms will remain illegal.
The new petition would allow residents to grow magic mushrooms nationwide, as long as it’s for personal use only.
Where to Buy Magic Mushroom Spores in Newfoundland & Labrador
Magic mushroom spores are legal in Canada because they don’t contain psilocybin, so you’ll find many magic mushroom spore vendors that ship to Newfoundland & Labrador.
Unfortunately, as soon as the spores are germinated, they become illegal once again. That is until new laws are passed that would allow the cultivation of magic mushrooms for personal use.
Do Magic Mushrooms Grow Wild in Newfoundland & Labrador?
Yes, magic mushrooms grow naturally all over the world, even in Northern climates like Canada. The coastal climate of Newfoundland and Labrador are perfect for many species of fungi, a few of which contain the active ingredients psilocybin and psilocin.
There are three species that are commonly found in Newfoundland and Labrador: Gymnopilus spp. Panaeolus cinctulus and Psilocybe semilanceata.
To find them, we recommend that you look in damp, dark areas, near pastures, or manure dumps.
What Are the Medicinal Uses of Shrooms?
One of the main reasons the laws surrounding magic mushrooms are being reconsidered is because of the overwhelming evidence these compounds offer a positive impact on mental health.
This, combined with the high level of safety associated with these mushrooms, is leading the charge for decriminalization across Canada.
A) Shrooms for Depression
Magic mushrooms have shown promise as an effective tool to help combat depression.
Psilocybin has been shown to help access traumatic memories and unhealthy thought patterns in the unconscious from which depression may be originating. This is now considered a key aspect in understanding the root of the problem.
B) Shrooms for Existential Anxiety (End of Life Care)
One of the most common uses of psilocybin in psychology is in terminally ill patients suffering from existential anxiety. This substance has shown significant psychological relief after a single session.
We should remark that psilocybin doesn’t help cure any terminal illness but may be a useful tool for trained psychotherapists to help identify and address the root of the problem.
C) Shrooms for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
As mentioned above, psilocybin helps unearth memories from the unconscious and see them from another point of view.
That’s why magic mushrooms may help people suffering from PTSD — with a modality of psychoanalysis based on altered states of consciousness. Moreover, they report noticing radical improvements from the first session that are maintained after months without psychedelic-assisted therapy.
C) Shrooms for Cluster Headaches
You probably didn’t know that magic mushrooms may help with physical problems such as cluster headache attacks.
Although science has not yet discovered how they do it, several studies show that patients with cluster headaches report remarkable improvements after using psilocybin and the related substance LSD.
D) Shrooms for Addiction
Recent studies show that magic mushrooms may also help treat addiction. This is because it activates H5T2A receptors, leading to a DMN (default mode network) reset.
The DMN can be responsible for meaningful thoughts and making us think more efficiently and unhealthy ones, such as addiction and compulsive behavior.
Is LSD Legal in Newfoundland & Labrador?
LSD has been illegal throughout Canada since 1962.
Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) defines LSD as a Schedule III substance. So it is considered to have a low potential for abuse and a moderate risk of dependence.
Canada is one of the few countries without laws banning analogs of known psychoactive substances. This means there’s a lot of room for gray-area with related psychedelics and LSD-analogs such as LSZ, ETH-LAD, PRO-LAD, ALD-52, AL-LAD, 1P-LSD, 1V-LSD, and 4-AcO-DMT.
Is DMT Legal in Newfoundland & Labrador?
N,N,DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT are both classified as Schedule III controlled substances in Canada. This includes natural sources such as bufo toad venom, changa, and ayahuasca.
There’s a push towards legalizing ayahuasca, and in some places, such as Vancouver Island, you can already sign up for semi-legal ayahuasca ceremonies.
Is MDMA Legal in Newfoundland & Labrador?
MDMA is also illegal throughout the country. However, the CDSA places it under the Schedule I list of controlled substances and considers it more dangerous than LSD or mushrooms.
The penalties for possession can reach up to 7 years in prison for personal possession or life imprisonment for trafficking.
However, MDMA-assisted therapy may soon become legal in Canada for treating specific medical applications in a clinical setting.
Is Ketamine Legal in Newfoundland & Labrador?
Like MDMA, ketamine is a Schedule I controlled substance. This means it’s legal for registered practitioners to administer it to their patients but illegal for recreational use.
The penalties for breaking these laws are the same as any other Schedule I drug: for possession, you can go to prison for up to 7 years, and you can face life-long sentences for dealing ketamine.
Is Marijuana Legal in Newfoundland & Labrador?
Yes. Marijuana is legal throughout Canada for both medicinal and recreational use.
The law gives users access to different isomers of THC as well, such as delta 8 THC, delta 9 THC, and delta 10 THC.
However, the Cannabis Act imposes certain limits that you should be aware of. For example, those over 18 can only possess and ship up to 30 grams of cannabis at a time. Moreover, you can only grow up to 4 cannabis plants per residence for personal use.
On the other hand, if you want to access medical marijuana, you must provide medical documentation confirming your diagnosis by a registered physician. Once approved, you’ll be allowed to purchase an additional 150 grams per month.
What’s the Difference Between Legalization & Decriminalization?
The difference between legalization and decriminalization is pretty straightforward.
Decriminalization reduces penalties considerably but does not establish any legal framework for commercialization.
Contrarily, legalization does establish this legal framework. Legalization implies the elimination of all penalties related to possession and the regulation of purchase and sale. However, there may still be restrictions in place (such as quantity limits, age restrictions, or medical approval).
Psychedelic Laws in Other Canadian Provinces
Some provinces treat drug offenses differently than Newfoundland & Labrador.
- Psychedelics in Alberta
- Psychedelics in British Columbia
- Psychedelics in New Brunswick
- Psychedelics in Northwest Territories
- Psychedelics in Nova Scotia
- Psychedelics in Nunavut
- Psychedelics in Manitoba
- Psychedelics in Ontario
- Psychedelics in Prince Edward Island
- Psychedelics in Quebec
- Psychedelics in Saskatchewan
- Psychedelics in Yukon
Key Takeaways: What’s the Future of Psychedelics in Newfoundland & Labrador?
Although psychedelics are illegal in Canada, there’s a strong trend towards the legalization of all drugs. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is on the brink of becoming legalized across Canada, and marijuana has been legalized since 2018.
This leads us to be optimistic about the future of psychedelic substances in Canada. On the West Coast, the city of Vancouver has already been dabbling with the decriminalization of all drugs, including psychedelics, and we expect this sentiment to spread throughout the country in the coming years.
