What they are
A number of mushrooms, which contain hallucinogenic drugs, grow wild in the UK in autumn. The main type are called psilocybe or liberty caps. They are small grey/brown mushrooms with a thin stalk and pointed, hooded cap. Other types are less commonly used and include fly agaric, which is larger and has a thick, white stem and flatter, round red/orange cap, with white warts on. These are more dangerous to take.
Street names
Names for psilocybe include liberties, mushies and shrooms.
How they are taken
Liberty caps are sometimes eaten raw but also dried out and stored for later use. They can be eaten by themselves, cooked with other foods or made into a tea. 20 to 30 are often regarded as a full dose, but the amount of drug can vary between different mushrooms.
Extent of use
Liberty caps are picked by some people in autumn and passed around among friends. They are not commonly sold. Recent surveys have found less than 10% of 16 year olds claiming to have ever used magic mushrooms at least once. They tend to be used occasionally rather than on a regular basis.
Effects of use
- They effect the senses and the way people experience the world around them.
- Effects start after about 30 minutes and can last up to 9 hours if a lot are taken.
- Effects can vary greatly depending on the mood of the user.
- Users often laugh a lot and feel very confident. They may also sometimes feel sick and have a stomach ache.
- High doses result in a 'trip'. Sight and sound are distorted. This can be very pleasurable but can also be very frightening, especially if the user already feels panicky or unhappy.
Risks of use
- A bad trip can be very distressing. Users may be very frightened, anxious and feel that other people and even objects are out to get them. They could endanger themselves or other people. This is more common if users are already anxious or depressed.
- The disorientating effects make it dangerous to drive or operate machinery. Judgement may be impaired, making accidents more likely.
- Once mushrooms are taken there is no going back and it may take a long time for the effects to wear off.
- Flashbacks can be experienced. This is where people feel they are having a trip some time after they have actually used and can be very disturbing.
- People could pick the wrong type of mushroom. They might pick a poisonous type.
- There is no evidence of serious health damage from regular use but very few people use regularly.
The Law
A law banning magic mushrooms and making them a class A drug has come into force.
The Drugs Act 2005 ends the situation in which fresh magic mushrooms were legal but those which were dried or prepared for use were not.
Under Clause 21 of the Drugs Act 2005, it is now an offence to import, export, produce, supply, possess or possess with intent to supply magic mushrooms, including in the form of grow kits.
