are shrooms risky to take during developmental stages (aka as a teenager, not rly talking about dependance n shit)?
They very much are yes, in my opinion not as risky as pot but a significant experience can cause early onset of psychotosis, it can alter a person's ability to adjust to social situations, how that person relates to others, how they relate to the opposite sex - all things that the young adult is just beginning to evaluate for themselves.
On the other hand, in controlled settings, it can accelerate certain adult behavior, permanently enlighten the young user and set him on a life long path, enabling him to be more empathetic and more "open minded" toward other modes of thinking.
From what I understand, the difference has to do with cultural rooting, ritual and guidence by other established cultural leaders.
An example is the low occurance of alchoholism in cultures that offer wine to their children as opposed to a culture that sees this as unethical. Many cultures send their adolescents out on spiritual quests with the help of various forms of psychoactive chemicals, sensory deprivation or extreme exposure - ant stings, jumping from high structures with viines on one's ankle, sweat lodges, yopo, yage, ayahusca, peyote and the like.
I can think of no more healthy activity than a father taking a psychadelic with his children so long as it is ritualized, controled and has a set defined purpose involving some sort of rigor in mentality and preparation. I believe however that might be difficult given the culture we live in, to accomplish.
I had my daughter promise me that she would never take any inebreating substance without speaking to me first, no matter where we both were and I promised her that when the time was right I would provide her with any substance she was interested in. She called me several times but at each time we agreed it was not appropriate until finally around her 20th birthday she smoked pot with her mother. She dabbled for a year or so and and found it to be marginaly amusing. Alcohol was at 21 and she found no true attraction, opium at 22 and she enjoyed the experience but it was as i said under controled conditions. She finally found her beaming favorite in Xanax and I send her a few every now and then. We have not yet gotten to any other chemicals but I am secure in the knowlege that she will be reasonable in her approaches to altered conciousness.
also, my back hurt like a mother!! My eyes "white part" turned yellow! It was a good experiance once I got past the "weird" feeling. I would LOVE 2 find some more,lol!!..