Magic Mushroom - Law

[Guest guest]

For those of you who have chatted about various substances ....

 

A law banning magic mushrooms and making them a class A drug has come

into force.

The Drugs Act 2005 ends the situation in which fresh magic mushrooms

were legal but those which were dried or prepared for use were not.

 

Sellers have condemned the move, saying mushrooms are not harmful and

accusing ministers of a knee-jerk reaction.

 

But the Home Office said the drug was harmful to some users and added

the move clarified the existing law.

 

Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said in a statement: " Magic

mushrooms are a powerful hallucinogen and can cause real harm,

especially to vulnerable people and those with mental health

problems.

 

Psychedelic qualities

 

" The law has not been clear with regard to the status of fresh magic

mushrooms and some have tried to exploit this apparent loophole. "

 

Magic mushrooms, more properly known as psilocybe, contain the

psychedelic chemicals psilocybin and psilocin.

 

These chemicals were already class A but previously the law did not

apply to fresh or raw magic mushrooms which contain far less of the

drug gram-for-gram than when dried.

 

 

Fresh magic mushrooms had been legal to sell

 

Under Clause 21 of the Drugs Act 2005, it is now an offence to

import, export, produce, supply, possess or possess with intent to

supply magic mushrooms, including in the form of grow kits.

 

Exceptions will be made for people who unknowingly pick the mushrooms

in the wild or find them growing in their garden, and critics have

argued the act will be difficult to police.

 

 

Magic mushrooms have risen in popularity dramatically in recent

years, especially since becoming openly available over the internet

or at about 400 " headshops " around the country.

 

According to Home Office figures, use of the fungi has risen 40% in a

year, with more than quarter of a million people estimated to have

taken them in 2003/04, compared with 180,000 in 2002/03. However,

they still represent a tiny proportion of all drug use.

 

Although some psilocybe mushrooms do grow in the wild, the vast

majority of mushrooms sold on the open market come from mushroom

farms in Holland.

 

 

Users of fresh mushrooms experience effects ranging from giggling

fits and intensification of colours, lights and sounds to, more

rarely, hallucinations. Negative effects can include vomiting, and

anxiety.

 

'Patronising'

 

 

Critics of the ban say that the mushrooms are harmless to physical

health and would only be bad for people with existing mental health

problems.

 

" Obviously I would not suggest someone with schizophrenia took magic

mushrooms but nor should they probably take alcohol, " said Chris

Bovey, owner of online retailer Potseeds, based in Totnes, Devon.

 

" Our customers feel patronised by the government, victimising them

for doing something harmless and enjoyable in their own homes, just

because they need to sound tough on drugs. "

 

To see magic mushrooms alongside crack cocaine and heroin doesn't

seem proportionate

 

Petra Maxwell

Drugscope

 

Others fear that the ban could mean an increase in accidental

poisonings as people go foraging for mushrooms in the wild and

mistakenly pick a toxic variety.

 

Mushroom retailers have formed the Entheogen Defence Fund and plan to

launch a legal challenge to the change in the law, saying it

contravenes European trade rules and the 1971 Vienna convention.

 

 

Mike Bashall, chairman of the EDF said: " We would have welcomed

regulation because through regulation you do get control - as with

alcohol.

 

'Seven years' jail'

 

" This is a badly-drafted piece of legislation that was pushed through

the House of Lords without proper scrutiny or discussion. "

 

A spokeswoman for drugs information body Drugscope said the

government did need to clarify the law on magic mushrooms but should

not have made them class A.

 

" To see magic mushrooms alongside crack cocaine and heroin doesn't

seem proportionate, " said Petra Maxwell.

 

" Now that they're class A if people are found in possession the

ultimate, if unlikely, sanction is seven years in prison and a fine. "

 

The law change does not affect another, much more rarely used magic

mushroom: Amanita muscaria - more commonly known as Fly Agaric.

[Guest guest]

I agree that they should be banned from selling them, but if you are that way inclined and pick your own ( obviously you would have to be dedicated and have some knowledge to do this), then what is wrong with that?

Not that I condone drugs, mind you.........not big , not clever.

 

The Valley Vegan..........been there done that.heartwerk <heartwork wrote:

For those of you who have chatted about various substances ....A law banning magic mushrooms and making them a class A drug has come into force. The Drugs Act 2005 ends the situation in which fresh magic mushrooms were legal but those which were dried or prepared for use were not. Sellers have condemned the move, saying mushrooms are not harmful and accusing ministers of a knee-jerk reaction. But the Home Office said the drug was harmful to some users and added the move clarified the existing law. Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said in a statement: "Magic mushrooms are a powerful hallucinogen and can cause real harm, especially to vulnerable people and those with mental health problems. Psychedelic qualities "The law has not been clear with regard to the status of fresh magic mushrooms and some have

tried to exploit this apparent loophole." Magic mushrooms, more properly known as psilocybe, contain the psychedelic chemicals psilocybin and psilocin. These chemicals were already class A but previously the law did not apply to fresh or raw magic mushrooms which contain far less of the drug gram-for-gram than when dried. Fresh magic mushrooms had been legal to sell Under Clause 21 of the Drugs Act 2005, it is now an offence to import, export, produce, supply, possess or possess with intent to supply magic mushrooms, including in the form of grow kits. Exceptions will be made for people who unknowingly pick the mushrooms in the wild or find them growing in their garden, and critics have argued the act will be difficult to police. Magic mushrooms have risen in popularity dramatically in recent years, especially since becoming openly available over the internet or at about 400 "headshops"

around the country. According to Home Office figures, use of the fungi has risen 40% in a year, with more than quarter of a million people estimated to have taken them in 2003/04, compared with 180,000 in 2002/03. However, they still represent a tiny proportion of all drug use. Although some psilocybe mushrooms do grow in the wild, the vast majority of mushrooms sold on the open market come from mushroom farms in Holland. Users of fresh mushrooms experience effects ranging from giggling fits and intensification of colours, lights and sounds to, more rarely, hallucinations. Negative effects can include vomiting, and anxiety. 'Patronising' Critics of the ban say that the mushrooms are harmless to physical health and would only be bad for people with existing mental health problems. "Obviously I would not suggest someone with schizophrenia took magic mushrooms but nor should they

probably take alcohol," said Chris Bovey, owner of online retailer Potseeds, based in Totnes, Devon. "Our customers feel patronised by the government, victimising them for doing something harmless and enjoyable in their own homes, just because they need to sound tough on drugs." To see magic mushrooms alongside crack cocaine and heroin doesn't seem proportionate Petra MaxwellDrugscope Others fear that the ban could mean an increase in accidental poisonings as people go foraging for mushrooms in the wild and mistakenly pick a toxic variety. Mushroom retailers have formed the Entheogen Defence Fund and plan to launch a legal challenge to the change in the law, saying it contravenes European trade rules and the 1971 Vienna convention. Mike Bashall, chairman of the EDF said: "We would have welcomed regulation because through regulation you do get control - as with alcohol. 'Seven

years' jail' "This is a badly-drafted piece of legislation that was pushed through the House of Lords without proper scrutiny or discussion." A spokeswoman for drugs information body Drugscope said the government did need to clarify the law on magic mushrooms but should not have made them class A. "To see magic mushrooms alongside crack cocaine and heroin doesn't seem proportionate," said Petra Maxwell. "Now that they're class A if people are found in possession the ultimate, if unlikely, sanction is seven years in prison and a fine." The law change does not affect another, much more rarely used magic mushroom: Amanita muscaria - more commonly known as Fly Agaric.To send an email to -

[Guest guest]

Hi Peter

 

> I agree that they should be banned from selling them, but if you are that way inclined and pick your own ( obviously you

> would have to be dedicated and have some knowledge to do this), then what is wrong with that?

> Not that I condone drugs, mind you.........not big , not clever.

 

Having seen people in the process of taking mushrooms, I can't say that it particularly appeals to me! (Mind you, drugs in general don't appeal to me)... but I gather that they quite happily grow in fields, and if you know what you are looking for they are fairly easy to spot... so, how do they intend to enforce the law????

 

BB

Peter

[Guest guest]

Judging by the picture that was with the article, I think they grow in our garden. I've never tried them though, or any other drugs.

 

Jo

 

-

peter hurd

Tuesday, July 19, 2005 5:53 PM

Re: Magic Mushroom - Law

 

I agree that they should be banned from selling them, but if you are that way inclined and pick your own ( obviously you would have to be dedicated and have some knowledge to do this), then what is wrong with that?

Not that I condone drugs, mind you.........not big , not clever.

 

The Valley Vegan..........been there done that.heartwerk <heartwork wrote:

For those of you who have chatted about various substances ....A law banning magic mushrooms and making them a class A drug has come into force. The Drugs Act 2005 ends the situation in which fresh magic mushrooms were legal but those which were dried or prepared for use were not. Sellers have condemned the move, saying mushrooms are not harmful and accusing ministers of a knee-jerk reaction. But the Home Office said the drug was harmful to some users and added the move clarified the existing law. Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said in a statement: "Magic mushrooms are a powerful hallucinogen and can cause real harm, especially to vulnerable people and those with mental health problems. Psychedelic qualities "The law has not been clear with regard to the status of fresh magic mushrooms and s ome have tried to exploit this apparent loophole." Magic mushrooms, more properly known as psilocybe, contain the psychedelic chemicals psilocybin and psilocin. These chemicals were already class A but previously the law did not apply to fresh or raw magic mushrooms which contain far less of the drug gram-for-gram than when dried. Fresh magic mushrooms had been legal to sell Under Clause 21 of the Drugs Act 2005, it is now an offence to import, export, produce, supply, possess or possess with intent to supply magic mushrooms, including in the form of grow kits. Exceptions will be made for people who unknowingly pick the mushrooms in the wild or find them growing in their garden, and critics have argued the act will be difficult to police. Magic mushrooms have risen in popularity dramatically in recent years, especially since becoming openly available over the internet or at about 400 "headshop s" around the country. According to Home Office figures, use of the fungi has risen 40% in a year, with more than quarter of a million people estimated to have taken them in 2003/04, compared with 180,000 in 2002/03. However, they still represent a tiny proportion of all drug use. Although some psilocybe mushrooms do grow in the wild, the vast majority of mushrooms sold on the open market come from mushroom farms in Holland. Users of fresh mushrooms experience effects ranging from giggling fits and intensification of colours, lights and sounds to, more rarely, hallucinations. Negative effects can include vomiting, and anxiety. 'Patronising' Critics of the ban say that the mushrooms are harmless to physical health and would only be bad for people with existing mental health problems. "Obviously I would not suggest someone with schizophrenia took magic mushrooms but nor should they probably take alcohol," said Chris Bovey, owner of online retailer Potseeds, based in Totnes, Devon. "Our customers feel patronised by the government, victimising them for doing something harmless and enjoyable in their own homes, just because they need to sound tough on drugs." To see magic mushrooms alongside crack cocaine and heroin doesn't seem proportionate Petra MaxwellDrugscope Others fear that the ban could mean an increase in accidental poisonings as people go foraging for mushrooms in the wild and mistakenly pick a toxic variety. Mushroom retailers have formed the Entheogen Defence Fund and plan to launch a legal challenge to the change in the law, saying it contravenes European trade rules and the 1971 Vienna convention. Mike Bashall, chairman of the EDF said: "We would have welcomed regulation because through regulation you do get control - as with alcohol. 'Se ven years' jail' "This is a badly-drafted piece of legislation that was pushed through the House of Lords without proper scrutiny or discussion." A spokeswoman for drugs information body Drugscope said the government did need to clarify the law on magic mushrooms but should not have made them class A. "To see magic mushrooms alongside crack cocaine and heroin doesn't seem proportionate," said Petra Maxwell. "Now that they're class A if people are found in possession the ultimate, if unlikely, sanction is seven years in prison and a fine." The law change does not affect another, much more rarely used magic mushroom: Amanita muscaria - more commonly known as Fly Agaric.To send an email to -

[Guest guest]

I don`t, I `m not the law. I was just putting my view on them forward.

 

The Valley Vegan......Peter <metalscarab wrote:

 

Hi Peter

 

> I agree that they should be banned from selling them, but if you are that way inclined and pick your own ( obviously you

> would have to be dedicated and have some knowledge to do this), then what is wrong with that?

> Not that I condone drugs, mind you.........not big , not clever.

 

Having seen people in the process of taking mushrooms, I can't say that it particularly appeals to me! (Mind you, drugs in general don't appeal to me)... but I gather that they quite happily grow in fields, and if you know what you are looking for they are fairly easy to spot... so, how do they intend to enforce the law????

 

BB

PeterPeter H

 

How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with Photos. Get Photos

[Guest guest]

They grow all over the place around here, but be warned everyone, there is a species that is very simular in appearance , and if you don`t know what you are doing and take some, they will make you very ill.

 

The Valley Vegan......( I don`t need drugs to be stupid, it comes naturally)Jo Cwazy <heartwork wrote:

 

Judging by the picture that was with the article, I think they grow in our garden. I've never tried them though, or any other drugs.

 

Jo

 

-

peter hurd

Tuesday, July 19, 2005 5:53 PM

Re: Magic Mushroom - Law

 

I agree that they should be banned from selling them, but if you are that way inclined and pick your own ( obviously you would have to be dedicated and have some knowledge to do this), then what is wrong with that?

Not that I condone drugs, mind you.........not big , not clever.

 

The Valley Vegan..........been there done that.heartwerk <heartwork wrote:

For those of you who have chatted about various substances ....A law banning magic mushrooms and making them a class A drug has come into force. The Drugs Act 2005 ends the situation in which fresh magic mushrooms were legal but those which were dried or prepared for use were not. Sellers have condemned the move, saying mushrooms are not harmful and accusing ministers of a knee-jerk reaction. But the Home Office said the drug was harmful to some users and added the move clarified the existing law. Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said in a statement: "Magic mushrooms are a powerful hallucinogen and can cause real harm, especially to vulnerable people and those with mental health problems. Psychedelic qualities "The law has not been clear with regard to the status of fresh magic mushrooms and s ome

have tried to exploit this apparent loophole." Magic mushrooms, more properly known as psilocybe, contain the psychedelic chemicals psilocybin and psilocin. These chemicals were already class A but previously the law did not apply to fresh or raw magic mushrooms which contain far less of the drug gram-for-gram than when dried. Fresh magic mushrooms had been legal to sell Under Clause 21 of the Drugs Act 2005, it is now an offence to import, export, produce, supply, possess or possess with intent to supply magic mushrooms, including in the form of grow kits. Exceptions will be made for people who unknowingly pick the mushrooms in the wild or find them growing in their garden, and critics have argued the act will be difficult to police. Magic mushrooms have risen in popularity dramatically in recent years, especially since becoming openly available over the internet or at about 400 "headshop s"

around the country. According to Home Office figures, use of the fungi has risen 40% in a year, with more than quarter of a million people estimated to have taken them in 2003/04, compared with 180,000 in 2002/03. However, they still represent a tiny proportion of all drug use. Although some psilocybe mushrooms do grow in the wild, the vast majority of mushrooms sold on the open market come from mushroom farms in Holland. Users of fresh mushrooms experience effects ranging from giggling fits and intensification of colours, lights and sounds to, more rarely, hallucinations. Negative effects can include vomiting, and anxiety. 'Patronising' Critics of the ban say that the mushrooms are harmless to physical health and would only be bad for people with existing mental health problems. "Obviously I would not suggest someone with schizophrenia took magic mushrooms but nor should they

probably take alcohol," said Chris Bovey, owner of online retailer Potseeds, based in Totnes, Devon. "Our customers feel patronised by the government, victimising them for doing something harmless and enjoyable in their own homes, just because they need to sound tough on drugs." To see magic mushrooms alongside crack cocaine and heroin doesn't seem proportionate Petra MaxwellDrugscope Others fear that the ban could mean an increase in accidental poisonings as people go foraging for mushrooms in the wild and mistakenly pick a toxic variety. Mushroom retailers have formed the Entheogen Defence Fund and plan to launch a legal challenge to the change in the law, saying it contravenes European trade rules and the 1971 Vienna convention. Mike Bashall, chairman of the EDF said: "We would have welcomed regulation because through regulation you do get control - as with alcohol. 'Se ven

years' jail' "This is a badly-drafted piece of legislation that was pushed through the House of Lords without proper scrutiny or discussion." A spokeswoman for drugs information body Drugscope said the government did need to clarify the law on magic mushrooms but should not have made them class A. "To see magic mushrooms alongside crack cocaine and heroin doesn't seem proportionate," said Petra Maxwell. "Now that they're class A if people are found in possession the ultimate, if unlikely, sanction is seven years in prison and a fine." The law change does not affect another, much more rarely used magic mushroom: Amanita muscaria - more commonly known as Fly Agaric.To send an email to -