We here in Massachusetts smugly think we're so enlightened because we recently reduced the penalty for small amounts of marijuana to a hundred dollar fine, even though it really didn't go far enough. But at least we're going in the right direction. The Dutch were once so hip to the stupidity of trying to control drugs by passing laws against them that even psychedelic mushrooms were legal. Or at least that was true until this month, when a ban promised in October took effect. According to the BBC:
The Dutch government is banning the sale of all magic mushrooms after a series of high-profile incidents involving tourists who had taken them.
The decision will take effect within several months, said a spokesman for the Dutch justice ministry.
A major Dutch producer of the psychedelic mushrooms said he stood to lose millions of euros as a result.
The Netherlands is famed for its liberal drugs policy, with marijuana openly sold in licensed cafes.
Magic mushrooms, more properly known as psilocybe, contain the psychedelic chemicals psilocybin and psilocin.
The ban is partly in result to some embarrassing incidents involving tourists who mixed the mushrooms with alcohol.
Calls for a re-evaluation of the drug grew after a 17-year-old French girl jumped from a building after eating magic mushrooms during a school trip to Amsterdam in March.
Other incidents involving the drug have included an Icelandic tourist jumping from a balcony and breaking both legs and a Danish tourist driving his car wildly through a camping ground, narrowly missing sleeping campers.
"It's a shame, the media really blew this up into a big issue," said Chloe Collette, owner of the FullMoon shop, which sells magic mushrooms in Amsterdam.
She said all the incidents had involved magic mushrooms in conjunction with other drugs.
A reader from the Netherlands took the following picture of some mushrooms he purchased in anticipation of the ban and now has stored in his refrigerator for future use.
Here's his review of the major brands.
These became illegal the next monday. A shame caused by freaked out cult members and stupid tourists.
The Hawaiians were very strong (i wasn't cheesing my balls off, though) and i forgot to stay hydrated. The Equadorians mostly fizzled due to taking them one day after the Colombians, and produced bad smelling gas. I'd stick to Colombians.
It's insane how horrible drugs like alcohol and nicotine remain freely available while much less harmful substances like magic mushrooms are outlawed.
Here is a card Springfield Police Chief Paula Meara once gave me.
More queer Batman.
At Mystery Train Records in Amherst the other night a guy named Tony who calls himself Crystalline Roses put on a spacey show.
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