SHOPKEEPER HAS A MUSHROOMING IDEA

In Dutch town, designer drugs are delivered

ZUTPHEN, Netherlands (AP) -- Want extra mushrooms on that?

They'll get to your house as quickly as a Domino's pizza. But these
mushrooms aren't pie toppings.

They're hallucinogens, the latest Dutch treat in this country famously
tolerant of "soft drugs."

Staying one step ahead of the law, a shop in this quiet eastern town is
offering home delivery of herbal ecstasy, organic "designer drugs" and at
least 600 other mind-expanding and mood-enhancing substances, including
psychedelic mushrooms.

"You might not want to eat them on a pizza because that could weaken the
effect, but you can fry them up with eggs or set a pot of tea," entrepreneur
Alex Krassenberg says.

Law enforcement authorities in the Netherlands -- where marijuana and
hashish, though technically illegal, are sold in small amounts without fear
of prosecution -- are taking a mellow approach.

Dutch law doesn't prohibit the sale or use of the drugs sold by Krassenberg,
but the government is reviewing its policy while researching the potential
health risks.

Although it isn't targeting mushrooms, a government task force recently
proposed a ban on four hallucinogenic plants that are fast-acting and
potentially poisonous if used in large doses.

"We feel that a few of these substances should be banned, but there is no
need for a witch hunt,'' says Benno Bruggink, a health ministry
spokesperson.

Although so-called "smart drugs" have already become a booming
million-dollar business in the Netherlands, Krassenberg's store is the first
to deliver to the customer's door.

Most drop-offs are free within 20 kilometres of Zutphen, but for a small fee
Krassenberg closes up shop, hops into his "mushroom taxi" and takes the
goods to wherever they're desired.

Church towers jut out of the flat agrarian landscape surrounding Zutphen,
set amid fields of flowers and bordering the Ijssel River. It's a rustic
setting, one fit for an oil painting by one of the Dutch masters.

Krassenberg is clearly from another generation. His establishment -- Dr.
Paddo, the Natural Drug Store -- is frowned on by fellow shopkeepers.
Although his wares appeal mainly to the youth of the town's 30,000
inhabitants, he tells of making secret deliveries to middle-aged farmers too
shy to visit the shop.

"This is a small town. They are interested in trying, but don't dare to come
to the store," Krassenberg says.

On a good day, Krassenberg makes up to 10 mushroom deliveries in Zutphen and
surrounding villages. Each order costs 30 guilders ($15 U.S.) and includes
home delivery. Out-of-town orders cost an extra dollar per kilometre.

Krassenberg, who also sells natural alternatives to popular drugs such as
speed, ecstasy and cocaine, encloses instructions and recommended dosages
with the products he peddles.

North America and Britain have taken a much tougher stance against such
chemicals by criminalizing their use, citing potential health hazards.

Dutch authorities, however, say they haven't encountered any adverse social
or health problems linked to the drugs. Zutphen's only hospital said it
hasn't had a single complaint.

Even if authorities wanted to take action against Krassenberg's store, they
couldn't because the substances he delivers aren't illegal, says Rijn
Brummel, spokesperson for the Zutphen police.

"We don't do anything about it because it's uncharted territory. There are
so many sorts...," Brummel says. "But we haven't had any problems and don't
see any reason for a crackdown."

Krassenberg insists he's doing the partying public a favour.

"Perfect alternatives like these should have been introduced a long time
ago," he says. "They are reliable, non-addictive, and they don't give
headaches or hangovers like the real thing."