The city of Denver Colorado voted to "decriminalize" psychedelic mushrooms, making it the first city in the U.S. to do so. According to city election officials, Initiative 301 was passed this week by a narrow margin of just over 1,900 votes. The measure directs police to treat enforcement of laws against the possession of psilocybin mushrooms as their lowest priority. However, it is still illegal to buy or sell the mushrooms.
So what effect do "shrooms" have on consumers? Here's what Drugabuse.com has to say:
When one ingests one of these mushrooms, it is converted into a substance known as psilocin, which produces mind-altering effects similar to drugs such as mescaline and LSD1. Psilocybin is classified as a hallucinogenic or psychedelic drug. While there appear to be no known recorded fatal overdoses from psilocybin alone, there are some risks associated with using the drug that include:
- Impaired judgment and feelings of detachment while one is under the influence of psilocybin
- The development of anxiety or panic attacks as a result of psilocybin-related experiences
- The experience of having “a bad trip” or unpleasant reaction to hallucinogenic effects
- The potential for poisoning and death as a result of consuming the wrong type of mushroom
- Flashbacks - a condition known as hallucinogenic-induced persistent perceptual disorder.
Persistent psychosis can occur in psilocybin users. This condition may manifest with a number of mental symptoms, such as paranoia, volatile mood, disorganized thought patterns, and visual disturbances.
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