Vancouver magic mushroom dispensary gets business licence re-instated

A Vancouver magic mushroom dispensary had its business licence re-instated during a hearing at city hall Tuesday.

Drug activist Dana Larsen, who owns three mushroom dispensaries in the city, pleaded to a panel of three city councillors to re-instate the licence.

In the end, Green Party councillors Pete Fry and Adriane Carr outnumbered Mike Klassen, the lone member from ABC's council majority, in approving a motion that overturns the licence cancellation, which was ordered by the chief licence inspector.

The motion also orders that a licence be re-issued to Larsen "with terms that clarify the business as education and advocacy regarding entheogens and medicinal psychoactive substances such as psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, LSD and DMT."

“I’m thrilled,” Larsen told CTV News. “I wasn’t sure what to expect."

The shop, located at 247 West Broadway, had its licence suspended last May, just three months after it opened its doors.

Then last November, all three of Larsen’s dispensaries were raided by Vancouver police.

Larsen was arrested, but released later that day.

He feels Tuesday’s decision could potentially set a precedent, similar to when the city licensed a large number of cannabis dispensaries prior to legalization, but isn’t sure it will happen under the current regime at city hall.

"To make a broader change where other mushroom dispensaries could apply for a licence, that would require a movement from the entire city council, which has got a different political hue to it,” he said.

“So we'll see how they choose to act and how this plays out but it’s a wonderful first step,”

Carr was on council during the cannabis dispensary revolution,

"I think there's a parallel between the process that happened around legalizing marijuana and the process that were just at the start of in terms of these psychoactive substances,” she told CTV News.

Carr highlights the supposed benefits the drugs can provide.

“They’re used a lot in the treatment of depression and PTSD,” she said. “I want to make sure that there’s safe supply."

Mayor Ken Sim issued a statement Tuesday afternoon criticizing Fry and Carr, calling the initial suspension of Larsen's licence "appropriate" and accusing the Green councillors of engaging in "activism beyond the jurisdiction of the City of Vancouver."

“We are extremely disappointed," Sim wrote. "The sale of psilocybin products (hallucinogenic mushrooms) is not permitted by the federal government. All business licence holders are obligated to adhere to both federal and provincial laws in addition to municipal regulations."

As for Larsen, he says all proceeds from the West Broadway store will be put towards the drug testing location directly next door.