The Fly Agaric 🍄 Facts, Myths, and Expe...

In this episode of the mushroom show, we talk to Kevin Feeney who is the author of Fly Agaric: A Compendium of History, Pharmacology, Mythology & Exploration. He is an expert on the iconic Amanita muscaria (the mushroom emoji, in case you don't know) and we delve into the fascinating facts and myths about this mushroom, including his personal experience with it's psychoactive effects. 

Kevin Feeney, PhD, JD, is a cultural anthropologist and lawyer currently working as a Program Director and Senior Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Studies – Social Sciences at Central Washington University. His primary research interests include examining legal and regulatory issues surrounding the religious and cultural use of psychoactive substances, with an emphasis on peyote and ayahuasca, and exploring modern and traditional uses of Amanita muscaria, with a specific focus on medicinal use and preparation practices. His research has been published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Human Organization, and Curare, among other books and journals. He is a current member of Chacruna’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants, and recently joined the Board of Advisors for Psyched Wellness, a Canadian health supplements company emphasizing medicinal mushrooms. 

Timestamps:
0:00 Framing the Conversation
1:23 Being Drawn to the Mushroom 
4:40 Writing the Book on Amanita Muscaria
8:37 Poisonous Non-Consumables for Sale (Why Amanitas Were Sold)
14:23 What Compounds Live in Amanita, and Why Are They Useful?
18:00 The Difference Between Muscimol & Ibotenic Acid
25:50 Methods of Preparing Amanita Muscaria
31:00 Differences Between Psychoactive Mushrooms (Psilocybe vs Amanita); Where they grow, what they grow on, what the effects are.
36:30 Mycophilia vs Mycophobia - The Reputation of The Amanita Genus
41:32 The Time-warping Experience of Taking Amanita
50:47 Potential Therapeutic Effects of Amanita 
57:05 YouTube Community Question 1: Did Vikings Use Amanita Muscaria For Supernatural Strength During Battle?
1:02:00 YouTube Community Question 2: Can You Grow Amanita Muscaria?
1:05:03 YouTube Community Question 3: Is Repetitive Motion Syndrome a Feature of the Amanita Experience?
1:07:27 YouTube Community Question 4: Is the "Reindeer Thing" Legit?
1:11:40 Keep an Open Mind 

Webpage: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kevin-Feeney
Amazon Page USA: https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Agaric-Compendium-Pharmacology-Exploration/dp/0578714426/
Amazon Page Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Fly-Agaric-Compendium-Pharmacology-Exploration/dp/0578714426/

Thank you for listening! Tell us in the comments what you loved about this interview, and who you would like to see on the Mushroom Show in future episodes.