What We Really Know About Psychedelic Mushrooms

This is a very in-depth article from the Huffington Post about the history, science, and current challenges surrounding Psilocybin mushrooms:

For centuries, “magic” mushrooms have been both celebrated and reviled for their mind-expanding properties.

Research and popular use of psychedelic drugs like mushrooms and LSD surged in the 1960s, when the substances first entered the American cultural consciousness on a large scale, and came to define '60s counterculture. At this time, thousands of studies were conducted to determine the properties and potential therapeutic applications of the drugs. But in 1970, the Controlled Substances Act brought an end to this era of science-based open-mindedness, and greatly limited drug research for the next four decades.

Today, research on psychedelic drugs is experiencing a renaissance of sorts. A growing body of scientific studies from major universities and medical centers suggests that the substances may hold promise as therapeutic interventions for a number of mental health conditions.