JAIL THREAT OVER MAGIC MUSHROOMS

Traders selling magic mushrooms could be jailed despite the fact it is
legal to sell them in their natural state, the Home Office says.

It is only illegal to possess or supply magic mushrooms that have been
"processed", such as frozen or dried.

Numerous online and high street traders have begun operating in recent
months.

But the Home Office has looked at the law and now believes "if fresh
magic mushrooms are packaged as a product and are offered for sale
that is unlawful".

A Home Office spokesman said: "It is an operational matter for the
police whether or not to initiate a prosecution. If they decide to do
so, it would then be a matter for the courts to determine whether any
misuse of drugs offence has been committed".

Life sentence

Magic mushrooms contain the substances psilocin and psilocybin, and
these are controlled as a Class A drugs in "processed" mushrooms.

People convicted of supplying them could be jailed for life and face
an unlimited fine. A possession conviction could earn seven years in
jail and a fine.

National Drug Prevention Alliance director Peter Stoker said that
eliminating magic mushroom trading would be "a move in the right direction".

"We need to look at [magic mushrooms] in the same way as other drugs
of abuse," he said.

"With any kind of intoxication you have got risks of accident either
to the person involved or to other people and that has got to be a
health and safety issue.

"But the main thing is that it is the thin end of the drug abuse
wedge. It preconditions people to getting their highs and kicks in
life by putting toxic chemicals inside themselves."

'Draconian'

But Chris Territt, business manager of magic mushroom retailer Psyche
Deli, said: "Whilst the government is moving to relax the laws on
cannabis in order to free up police time, this seems to be a
contradictory move.

"We would obviously welcome regulation or licensing to bring the
industry up to recognised standards, but a total ban would be
incredibly draconian.

"We do not sell to under-18s and we give all our customers all the
advice they need to enjoy mushrooms in a responsible way."

He added that Psyche Deli had received a ruling from Customs and
Excise saying that the sale of fresh psilocybe mushrooms was liable
for VAT.

"If the government is taking 17.5% of every transaction we make, how
can they say our product is not legal?"

MAGIC MUSHROOMS

Most common form is Liberty cap (Psilocybe semilanceata) Can be eaten
raw, dried, cooked in food or stewed in tea Similar effects to LSD,
though shorter, milder "trip" Not addictive Can make people feel sick,
tired and disoriented