Twenty-nineteen could be the Year of the Magic Mushroom. In Colorado and Oregon, efforts are currently underway to get voters acquainted with and in support of psilocybin, the compound that makes magic shrooms, well, magical. Research has begun, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has registered its interest.

You can draw comparisons between growing support for psychedelic mushrooms and the push for recreational marijuana. Both are considered highly dangerous by the federal government, although scientific research and anecdotal evidence indicate otherwise. Both could have fascinating and potentially life-changing medical uses, and the stigma around each is being challenged. However, advocates for psilocybin acknowledge that it is a more complex and less understood substance than cannabis. (And that's not to mention the risk of experiencing an excruciatingly bad trip.) With that in mind, their efforts hinge on decriminalization and regulated medical use, not full legalization.

Marijuana, which has been voted into legalization in 10 states plus D.C., might be light-years ahead, but psilocybin seems to be the next illicit drug in line to take on the legalization battle. As that conversation amps up, here's what you need to know about psychedelic shrooms in 2019.