Skip to main content
Psychedelic mushrooms are legal in Oregon, with lots of caveats.
They can’t be sold at retail. They must be taken on premises at a state-approved “psilocybin service center,” under the guidance of a facilitator who is trained in a program approved by the Oregon Health Authority.
None of that is preventing a store on West Burnside, just off Interstate 405, from selling fungi containing psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms at retail, no facilitator necessary.
I went in to the Shroom House today, provided two forms of identification, and filled out an application. To make the purchase, a customer must become a member of the “Shroom House Society.”
“The Society Board will consider your application at which time it will be rejected or accepted,” the application says. It asks if the customer suffers from anxiety, depression, and a list of other ailments.
The shop has a pop-up vibe to it. Fake ivy climbs a trellis on the ceiling. Tables in the store hold lots of nonpsychedelic products, including teas and soda “elixirs” made with lion’s mane, a vitamin-rich mushroom with lots of purported brain benefits. The Odyssey Sparkling Mushroom Elixir—passion fruit, orange, guava flavor—promises “energy and focus.” It tastes like an Italian soda, but it’s less sweet.
A few minutes after going into the back room with the application, the Shroom House clerk came back and asked for my order. She was out of stock of Liberty Caps, so I chose “Penis Envy” over “Albino Golden Teacher” because Penis Envy promised more visuals. Seven grams cost $95.
Another WW reporter bought 7 grams of “Knobby Tops” for $85.
Shroom House has 83 reviews on Google, with an average of five stars.
“Chill staff, friendly atmosphere, good for beginners!” Niko A wrote.
“Best place in Portland for all your mushroom needs!” wrote Tanner Hendricks.
Selling psychedelic mushrooms at retail is forbidden by Oregon law no matter how much identification you supply. Joining a “society” doesn’t make it legal, either.
“Retail sales of psilocybin are not legal under Oregon law,” said Sam Chapman, executive director of the Healing Advocacy Fund and executive director of the group that pushed for the passage of Measure 109, the 2020 initiative that made therapeutic use of psilocybin legal in Oregon. “Nothing in Measure 109 or any other law allows the sale of psilocybin mushrooms today or in the future.”
When asked if their business was legal, the clerk said that it was. The owner didn’t return a call seeking comment afterward.
Purchasing psychedelics at the Shroom House requires parting with personal information. The Shroom House Society keeps an electronic record of all sales and an “electronic profile” that includes your phone number and home address to “provide effective and personalized care.”
“Please use the products purchased from the Society in a responsible manner,” the application says. “While larger doses of psilocybin mushrooms are psychedelic and will definitely impair driving, microdoses should not affect your ability to drive or perform other tasks.”
A spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Justice didn’t have an immediate comment on the Shroom House. The Oregon Psilocybin Services Licensing Team didn’t return an email immediately, either.