There are also species that look similar to magic mushrooms but which are poisonous. Magic mushrooms are eaten raw, dried, cooked in food or stewed into a tea. Magic mushrooms, when prepared, are Class A drugs.
Magic mushrooms can make users feel very relaxed and 'spaced-out'.
The effects depend on the user's mood, where they are and who they are with. Magic mushrooms may cause hallucinations - objects, colour and sound become distorted. A trip tends to last about 4 hours. Eating the wrong kind of mushroom can also cause serious illness and even fatal poisoning. If users feel sick they should go straight to hospital with a sample of the mushroom and explain what happened.