The psilocybin in psilocybin or magic mushrooms is a Schedule 1 drug in the U.S., while the muscimol and ibotenic acid in Amanita muscaria are generally unregulated.

The Amanita muscaria does not contain psilocybin or psilocin. Rather, the active chemicals this mushroom contains are muscimol, ibotenic acid, and muscarine.

“Fly agaric” is a nick name for the Amanita muscaria mushroom because it attracts and kills flies.

Muscimol offers a unique opportunity to explore altered states and therapeutic benefits depending on the dose. In psychoactive doses, muscimol can induce euphoria and dream-like visions. It can support sleep, pain, and anxiety conditions in smaller amounts. 

Cannabis and muscimol are both psychoactive substances that can make people feel happy and relaxed. Cannabis strains with high THC content and sedative terpenes and cannabinoids tend to be calming, similar to muscimol’s soothing qualities. However, other cannabis strains make people talkative and uninhibited, the opposite of muscimol. Some compare muscimol to THC from a therapeutic perspective because both can help with anxiety, depression, and physical discomfort. 

There are no recorded instances of muscimol dependence. Most agree muscimol is safe and non-habit-forming, even in larger, psychoactive doses. However, muscimol misuse is theoretically possible, as is true with all chemical substances, such as those in McDonald's french fries.