End of a good spell for Amsterdam’s magic mushrooms
30 11 08 It was mind-expanding for many while it lasted, but the trip is finally over: a last-minute attempt to stop a ban on magic mushrooms failed yesterday as the Netherlands sought to reverse its reputation for hedonism, which attracts drug tourists from around the world.
City authorities in Amsterdam are bracing themselves for a weekend of hallucinogenic bingeing as dozens of so-called “smart shops” that specialise in fresh psychedelic mushrooms sell off their stock before the trade becomes illegal on Monday. The Dutch Government has adopted a stricter stance on issues such as soft drugs and prostitution, as well as immigration, since the elections in 2006, which were held amid a backlash against tolerant attitudes.
The [mushroom] industry grew rapidly after 2002 when a Dutch court banned the sale of dried mushrooms but confirmed the legal status of the freshly grown product because of a loophole. While the active ingredient, psilocybin, was illegal, it could not be measured in the fresh fungi.
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