No Fungi: Netherlands Bans 'Shrooms

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.

"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."

Currently in the Netherlands the sale of dried magic mushrooms - in which the psychoactive chemicals psilocybin and psilocin are stronger - is banned but fresh mushrooms are allowed.

This is because it is more difficult to ascertain how much of the chemicals fresh mushrooms contain. But Mr Van der Weegen said this was exactly the issue.

 

"The problem with mushrooms is that their effect is unpredictable. It's impossible to estimate what amount will have what effect."

The Dutch Health and Justice Ministers agreed to ban the sale of fresh hallucinogenic mushrooms in retail stores after a number of incidents involving tourists.

The ministers plan to send the legislation to parliament on Oct. 15 for final approval, said Karin Donk, a spokeswoman for the health ministry. Using the mushrooms will not be illegal, she said.

The move comes after a rise in incidents, largely among young tourists. A French teenager leapt to her death in March and an 18-year-old Icelandic tourist jumped out of a hotel window in July. In Amsterdam, where the fungi are sold in so- called smart shops, the city council last month approved a three-day waiting period to cut down on tourist use.