WRONG ABOUT 'SHROOMS

Re The Goa Connection, Body & Soul, Feb. 25

Rosie DiManno writes, "magic mushrooms . . . had their genesis in Goa." In
fact, they had their genesis before Genesis. Psilocybe mushrooms were
likely first eaten by our Homo Erectus ancestors in Africa two or three
million years ago. Some believe that the effects of these psychedelic fungi
caused a blossoming of intelligence in the proto-human mind. I am always
amused by the obvious contempt for "drug culture" which DiManno displays in
her columns, while remaining seemingly oblivious to the fact that her own
legal drugs of choice are much more harmful.

Smoke another cigarette, Rosie, drink another beer. Unless you've won the
genetic lottery you will be gone long before drug "casualties," like
myself, take our last toke.

Kane Slater
Toronto