Tag: Amanita muscaria

Archaeological evidence suggests that humans have used psychoactive substances for millennia, with some of the earliest examples dating back over 8,000 years. Pinpointing exactly what is the oldest psychedelic drug is a complex task, with several powerful contenders vying for the title based on ancient plant remains, artwork, and historical texts.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classified the prescription medication Soma as a Schedule IV controlled substance in 2012 due to its potential for abuse and dependence. Given its modern pharmaceutical reality, the answer to the question, "Is Soma a mushroom?" is definitively no, though confusion stems from an entirely separate, ancient historical context.

An estimated 8 million American adults used psilocybin in 2023, making it the most popular psychedelic substance [1.11.1]. The term 'mushroom looking drugs' most often refers to psychoactive fungi, primarily psilocybin-containing mushrooms ('magic mushrooms') and *Amanita muscaria*.