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Mushroom magic? M&S introduces ‘shots’ said to bring you up – or down

Retailer’s ‘functional juices’ contain lion’s mane and reishi, supposed to help reduce stress, fatigue and anxiety

Photograph: Shaiith/Getty ImagesIn 2023, it was reported that one in 100 people had taken hallucinogenic drugs in England and Wales within the past year, most of them older than Gen Z – with “functional chocolates” taking off among a certain type of middle-aged, middle-class consumer run ragged by modern life. David Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and the author of Psychedelics, thinks this taps into a “growing recognition of the emotional value and traditional use of magic mushrooms plus acceptance of their safety compared with most other recreational drugs including alcohol”. Concrete research based on human trials is scant, although various companies claim it can help with brain health, alleviating inflammatory bowel disease and even ADHD symptoms.

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