IN-DEPTH: Why Are Police in Some Cities Turning Blind Eye to Magic Mushroom Shops Operating Illegally?

IN-DEPTH: Why Are Police in Some Cities Turning Blind Eye to Magic Mushroom Shops Operating Illegally?
A Toronto police vehicle is shown parked on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto on Jan. 3, 2023. The Canadian Press/Doug Ives
Matthew Horwood
Updated:

As shops selling magic mushrooms continue to illegally open and operate in cities across Canada, experts say some police forces are reluctant to intervene in an environment where drug policy seems to be going in the direction of decriminalization and legalization.

“It’s really a perilous situation for a police officer to take action until the government makes a decision on what exactly is permissible. And we don’t have those answers yet with respect to legalization,” said Peter Shadgett, a 30-year veteran of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).