When people think about stoner culture they, rightly, associate it with cannabis. Cannabis is the corner stone of stoner culture. It is the glue (or sticky bong resin) that binds stoners together. It is also safe and fun and thus present at all stoner gatherings. However, there has always been a lot of crossover between stoner culture and the use of psychedelic drugs. This is undeniable and true of many psychedelic drugs but I would argue that psilocybin mushrooms are the "stoner's psychedelic" and I don't mean that in a bad way.
Like cannabis, mushrooms are naturally occurring and grow readily. It is a great fit for stoner sensibilities. Mushrooms aren't the only natural psychedelic but few, if any, grow as easily as psilocybin mushrooms. In many climates one can find them growing wildly and abundantly in every cow field. I have never tried to grow them myself, but, from all accounts that i have seen, they are relatively easy to cultivate. Plus there are no refined chemicals to consume. This doesn't guarantee safety, of course, but it doesn't hurt either.
Mushrooms, like cannabis, can be pretty safe, though. Don't get me wrong, no drug will ever be as safe as cannabis but, even with their risks (which you should research on erowid.org if you are thinking about trying them for the first time), mushrooms are pretty close. Make sure they are properly identified and not contaminated before ingesting them and only take them in a safe place. You can also simmer them and drink only the broth (mixed with grape or orange juice to mask the flavor) to reduce potential risks even further. They are not addictive and there are only a few after-effects. Stoners are usually a pretty safe crowd so mushrooms are a great fit for anyone who wants to venture into the strange realm of psychedelics without taking a lot of risk.
Many stoners like to explore the weirder parts of their minds and psilocybin mushrooms can take them to places that they can't reach with cannabis alone. Psilocybin mushrooms and all psychedelics have a certain quality that is like nothing else. A lot of people who have not ever had the pleasure of trying them, wrongly, believe that the experience is akin to being high but with hallucinations and this is incorrect. There is a profound change in your thought process and reality seems to change with it. In a sense, you don't feel high at all. It is as though everything is different but also, somehow, as it should be. You accept the strangeness of it all and roll with the trip as you venture inward. Your thoughts manifest themselves as abstract patterns while the environment around you distorts and takes on unfamiliar shapes. You feel as though a vial has been lifted from your eyes and you seem to see the "real"reality that hides behind the limitations of our perception. It can be both exhilarating and terrifying, like being a child again on your first day of school, knowing that your world has changed but not fully understanding how. It, strangely, feels like coming home despite everything. There is a sense that you have come to a place you have been before and where you can expect a warm welcome again. For stoners who are into this type of experience or open to having it for the first time (and there many) mushrooms can be an attractive option given their availability and relative safety.
If you are exploring stoner culture don't forget to think about that other stoner drug. Just make sure you respect their power and be smart and safe in anything you do. Do your research and
Psilocybin mushrooms are actually safer than cannabis. Not that cannabis is unsafe. Everything should be purchased only from reputable suppliers or grown by oneself.
Both magic mushrioms and cannabis have medicinal uses which are being explored more and more each day.
You are wrong that they are relatively easy to grow. They require VERY sterile environments and lots of care.
Good article, though.