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| Netherlands bans magic mushrooms | Netherlands bans magic mushrooms |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| 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 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 go into 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | |
| It's a shame, the media really blew this up into a big issue Chloe ColletteOwner of the FullMoon shop | |
| "The problem with mushrooms is that their effect is unpredictable. It's impossible to estimate what amount will have what effect." | "The problem with mushrooms is that their effect is unpredictable. It's impossible to estimate what amount will have what effect." |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | "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. | She said all the incidents had involved magic mushrooms in conjunction with other drugs. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | 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. |