Street Names
Magic Mushrooms, Shrooms, Mushies, Liberty Caps, Fly-agaric
Description
A raw fungus, as a drink or part of a cooked dish (omelette, soup, etc.)
Routes of use
Ingestion
History
Mushrooms have been used throughout history as a means of gaining access to the spirit world by Shamans, Medicine Men or Witch Doctors. Its hallucinations were thought to be predictions of future events or messages from beyond this world. The active ingredients are Psilocybin, Psilocin or Muscimole depending on the variety picked. The most commonly abused fungi are Psilocybe semilanceata (Liberty Cap) and Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric). The resemblance of magic mushrooms to several of their poisonous cousins makes picking them a required skill. Mushroom use is usually associated with fringe groups such as hippies and new age travellers.
Effects people seek
The effects of mushrooms are similar to those of LSD and depend largely on the user’s environment and mood to determine the good/bad nature of the trip. Physical effects are not as prominent as the psychological effects and include signs of arousal such as increased heart rate and blood pressure and also dilated pupils. Effects are felt within about half an hour and can last for up to nine hours depending on the amount taken. Low doses (2-4 mushrooms) produce feelings of being stoned such as relaxation and euphoria. At higher doses (up to 20+ mushrooms) hallucinations are experienced and distortions of colour and sound.
Other effects
Bad effects include those associated with unpleasant trips including anxiety, fear and paranoia. The greatest dangers are having accidents whilst stoned or by eating one of the poisonous varieties of mushroom by mistake. It would take a very large amount of liberty caps or fly agaric to overdose.
Dependence & Tolerance
Tolerance to the effects of magic mushrooms develops quickly and may need several days of abstinence to restore back to normal levels. There is no physical dependence or withdrawal symptoms however some people experience some psychological dependence.
The Law
The Government announced 23/06/05 that Clause 21 of the Drugs Act 2005 will come into force on 18 July 2005.
This means that the possession and supply of fresh magic mushrooms containing psilocin is now illegal. They are controlled as a Class A, schedule 1 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Regulations have been drafted to exclude magic mushrooms which occur naturally and are uncultivated.
The regulations state that there is no offence committed by an owner of land where magic mushrooms occur naturally but that if they are picked they should be either destroyed or given to a person who has legal authority to possess them.
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