Eby defends investigation 
Ferries brace for big summer
Premier Eby heading to Asia
Honda still committed: Joly
Vote final despite error
2 found dead in wildfire
Overdose deaths fall 27%
Rollback on protections
Business ties deepen
Secession talk 'unhelpful'
Delivery driver steals $2.5M
Roaming revenue falls
Vees season ends in game 6
Leafs' ugly Game 4 loss
Vees heading to game 6
Foo Fighters at Singapore F1
Accuser rips defense lawyer
Max revives HBO name
A downtown Kelowna store that's been selling psilocybin mushrooms was raided by police on Friday, but the owners vow to reopen soon.
Essence Wellness has been openly selling psilocybin products out of its storefront at 246 Lawrence Avenue for several months.
But Friday, Kelowna RCMP officers executed a search warrant at the store, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It's not clear if officers seized products from the store or if any charges have been laid at this time.
Castanet has been unable to reach the owners of the store, but Essence Wellness posted to Instagram following the raid, stating they'll be reopening “in the next coming days.”
“Our store has been at the forefront of destigmatizing the use of psilocybin and educating the public about its potential benefits. We are not afraid to disrupt a system (the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act) that currently does not support a collaborative approach in addressing concerns for individuals that have recently found a lifeline in our products and support services,” the store posted.
“We play a crucial role in providing safe access to alternative medicine therapies and are hopeful that through open dialogue and collaboration, a solution can be reached that preserves both public safety and the wellbeing of individuals seeking alternative therapeutic options.”
The medical research of psilocybin has become more mainstream in recent years, with studies finding promising mental health benefits. But it still remains illegal to possess or sell under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Storefronts selling psilocybin products have been recently popping up in Vancouver, where they're following the example set by the “grey market” cannabis shops that were opened prior to cannabis legalization.
Earlier this month, three mushroom shops in Vancouver owned by activist Dana Larsen were raided by the Vancouver Police Department. The stores were reopened days later.
