Do shrooms show up on a drug test?
Do shrooms show up on a drug test? This is something that many have wondered about, and the answer is double-pronged. Psilocybin mushrooms are deemed Schedule I by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), meaning they’re considered to have no medicinal value with high potential for abuse. That means the psychedelic compound is highly illegal in many places, though some states and localities have enacted reform.
RELATED: Enigma mushroom – an eye-catching psilocybe mutation
Psilocybin was decriminalized by the state of Oregon and California cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz. In Minnesota, a Psychedelic Medicine Task Force has been researching the impact of hallucinogens, including psilocybin. Minneapolis, Minn. also decriminalized the compound via executive order from Mayor Frey. Various states, cities, and counties are exploring what legalizing shrooms looks like, but at the federal level, the fruiting bodies are a strict no-no.
Despite its illegality, not every drug test will detect magic mushrooms, but some will. Whether or not shrooms show up depends on the types of drug tests used. How long psilocybin mushrooms stay in your system is also important. The basics on magic mushrooms and drug tests.
What is psilocybin?
Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound found in hundreds of magic mushroom strains. When consumed, the body converts it to psilocin, creating a hallucinogenic experience that may last about four to six hours. The various mushroom strains are reported to have slightly varying effects and potencies. They also grow in different shapes and colors.
While a magic mushroom trip can stay with someone for a lifetime, the compound only stays in the system for about a day. However hallucinogens are detectable when using a specialized drug test. No matter why someone is being tested, it’s wise to know all about the type of drug tests and how long targeted compounds remain in the system.
Types of drug tests
Drug detection is done in various ways like urine, saliva, blood, or hair follicle tests. Urine tests are one of the most commonly used methods to detect drug compounds.
A five-panel urine test is used for most routine drug tests, and they detect cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, and phencyclidine (PCP). A 10-panel urine test includes barbituates, alcohol, benzodiazepines, MDMA, propoxyphene, methadone, and methaqualone.
Saliva tests are conducted using a swab swept across the inside of the cheek. They detect the same drugs in a five-panel or 10-panel test.
RELATED: How long do shrooms take to kick in? The answer depends
Blood tests can detect barbituates, alcohol, benzodiazepines, MDMA, propoxyphene, methadone, and methaqualone in a shorter amount of time than it takes to test urine. On the flip side, the detection window is short. These drug tests are for detecting if someone is currently under the influence.
Hair follicle tests can capture a timeline of drug use for up to 90 days, which is a long-term detection window in comparison to the other options.
As displayed, few of these options detect hallucinogens at all, let alone psilocybin. However, hair follicle tests and specialty tests might.
How long are shrooms in the body?
The best way to test clean for psilocybin is to not have any in your system. For those who consume psilocybin that means knowing how long it takes to be eliminated from the body. The body metabolizes hallucinogens quickly, so many should be able to plan out their last trip before a routine drug test. However, a surprise test may garner other results.
Detection windows refer to how long a drug test can detect shrooms, which will affect how long to wait between eating mushrooms and routine drug tests. Psilocybin mushrooms generally stay in the system for 24 hours, but rare cases have found them up to three days after consumption. These special cases are generally due to someone consuming psilocybin regularly for long periods of time.
Psilocybin drug tests are far more expensive than routine drug panels, so they likely wouldn’t be included without extreme suspicion of someone having eaten shrooms. Blood tests can also detect whether someone is currently under the influence of psilocybin.
Blood or saliva test aside, hair follicles are the most comprehensive way to figure out if someone has consumed magic mushrooms. This is due mostly to how quickly psilocybin is metabolized and deemed undetectable. Hair follicles can be tested much longer than the usual 24-hour window.
Magic mushroom drug testing FAQ
People have lots of questions about magic mushrooms, including whether shrooms show up on a drug test. This article answers the main question, but let’s get to the bottom of every frequently asked question about psilocybin drug testing.
How long do shrooms stay in the system?
Psilocybin mushrooms are detectable in the body for 24 hours.
Do all drug tests detect shrooms?
Urine and drug tests can detect psilocybin for up to 24 hours, while hair follicle tests can find the compound for up to 90 days.
Are there side effects to psychedelic drug tests?
There aren’t any side effects to being tested for drugs, though the methods may cause some. Blood tests are taken by a needle, which can lead to some discomfort at the draw site. Side effects are rare for urine, saliva, and hair follicle tests.
So, do shrooms show up on a drug test?
Drug testing can happen for lots of reasons. Some jobs routinely drug test their employees, while others are signed up for regular drug tests through parole. These are just a few, but there are many reasons someone would be drug tested. That said, a drug test would rarely be looking for shrooms. Those being tested for psychedelic shrooms would likely know, which means they should know better than to eat any within three days of the big event.