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Dutch Ban "Magic Mushrooms"

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 03:26:24 PM EST
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The Netherlands has banned psychodelic mushrooms after some tourists died.

Magic mushrooms, more properly known as psilocybe, contain the psychedelic chemicals psilocybin and psilocin.

"We intend to forbid the sale of magic mushrooms," said justice ministry spokesman Wim van der Weegen. "That means shops caught doing so will be closed."

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    Dutch Ban "Magic Mushrooms" | 13 comments (13 topical)
    The Dutch should know better..... (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by kdog on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 03:49:47 PM EST
    The sale of 'shrooms will just move out of the smart shops and into the alley.

    I've never heard of them hurting anyone (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Edger on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 04:00:23 PM EST
    Much less killing anyone. I suppose it's possible some shops sold Amanitas or other poisonous mushrooms as Magic Mushrooms.

    Quality control would have been a better idea, I think.

    They didn't (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by scarshapedstar on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 09:00:24 PM EST
    The people just did stupid sh*t. They probably ought to control the sale somewhat, because people ought to know what they're getting into when they take a trip, for christ's sake.

    But banning mushrooms is like banning dreams.

    Parent

    Bad for business... (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by desertswine on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 04:12:55 PM EST
    Murat Kucuksen, whose farm supplies about half the magic mushrooms on sale in the Netherlands, said he stood to lose several million euros as a result of the ban.

    Murat Kucuksen, whose farm Procare supplies about half the psychedelic mushrooms on the Dutch market, predicted the trade will move underground as a result of the ban. Prices will rise, and dealers will sell dried mushrooms, or LSD as a substitute, to tourists with no guidance.

    "So you'll have a rise in incidents but they won't be recorded as mushroom-related, and the politicians can declare victory," he said.

    I prefer Amnesia, and it's legal in Amsterdam (none / 0) (#3)
    by Aaron on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 04:01:36 PM EST
    Those psilocybin mushrooms are dangerous, when I was a teenager some friends and my used to pick them out of the cow pastures down in Florida.  One of my friends got the bright idea of taking a bunch of them and boiling them down to make a jelly which he spread on bread.  

    After eating a peanut butter and mushroom jelly sandwich, the poor guy wound up in the hospital for a week, completely out of his gourd.  If you're going to do psychedelic drugs, you're better off with mescaline, much safer and a better high, not that I would know, or ever advocate such illegal activity.  :-)

    But hey if you're in Holland, who needs mushrooms anyway, when you can just stop by De Dampkring or Grasshopper and pick up enough Amnesia to last you a month, for about €25. It's completely safe and paranoia free.

    Well... (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Edger on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 04:11:55 PM EST
    I guess too much of anything is dangerous.

    People caught selling War On Terror fantsies, for example, should be put out of business for all the killing they cause...

    Ahem.

    Parent

    Um... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by scarshapedstar on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 09:01:11 PM EST
    ...if you get poisoned, it wasn't the right kind of mushroom.

    Parent
    This is stupid (none / 0) (#6)
    by Wile ECoyote on Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 05:05:28 PM EST
    I am sure the people taking them would not mix mushrooms with other drugs.  Even if they did, I am sure they would not require the taxpayers of the Netherlands to pay for any damage incurred, or hospitalization required.  I am sure they realize a personal choice means the rest of society should not have to pay for the consequences of their actions.

    Shrooms are shakey business (none / 0) (#9)
    by FUMRBush on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 07:55:45 AM EST
    Having personally expermented with most all mind altering chemicals available (shrooms, LSD, MDMA, DMT, Mesc etc).  My experience is that shrooms are the most unpredicatble and dangerous of the lot.  They are recommended only for those who with a proven track record of ethnogenic experience.

    Maybe this is a good idea?

    Really? (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by kdog on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 08:17:30 AM EST
    I found LSD to be more unpredictable and mind-altering than 'shrooms.  I guess that's part of the point, each drug effects everybody differently...a couple tourists take 'shrooms and kill themselves, while the vast majority of 'shroom users just laugh their arse off.  Similar too a small number of alcoholics drinking themselves to death, while the vast majority can enjoy a few drinks with the ballgame to no ill effect.

    It's up to each individual to decide which drugs are a good idea or not...not any government.  The 'shroom suppliers will go from taxed, regulated, legitimate businesses to a black market enterprise.  I don't understand what that accomplishes...it certainly won't stop the next knucklehead from thinking they can fly while on something.  

    Parent

    Like I said (none / 0) (#11)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 11:27:25 AM EST
    Banning them is too much. The famously pragmatic Dutch ought to make people take a class on what to expect, and how much you ought to take.

    Here I'm envisioning some naive individual eating an entire ounce or something, which, yes, will turn you  into a babbling loony and probably make you want to die, or at least resign yourself to death. But I defy anyone to explain to me how that's any different from downing 16 shots of vodka and dying in your sleep, or taking an entire bottle of aspirin, or drinking 30 cans of Red Bull.

    There are many legal things that will kill you if you do stupid sh*t with them. Making something illegal does f*ck all to change that. And banning something that, used safely and knowledgeably, can be a wonderful, spiritual experience... there's clearly a better way.

    Parent

    Actually, I love that idea (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 11:31:08 AM EST
    Tripping licenses. Brilliant! Hey, if you're going to change the world, you ought to know what you're doing first.

    And, yes, it does kinda sound like "The Man In The High Castle". :)

    Parent

    Learner's permits first? ;-) (none / 0) (#13)
    by Edger on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 11:45:49 AM EST
    And experienced instructors/sitters?

    Parent
    Dutch Ban "Magic Mushrooms" | 13 comments (13 topical)