A hallucinogenic magic mushroom which contains toxic substances which can be fatal is not banned under regulations recently introduced by Minister for Health Mary Harney to outlaw magic mushrooms.
The mushroom, amanita, was not covered under a regulation introduced in January under the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 and 1984 to outlaw the sale and possession of magic mushrooms containing psilocybin.
Until January 31st it was illegal to sell hallucinogenic psilocybin mushrooms if they were processed, but not in their raw state, but the new regulation banned them completely.
The Department of Health said yesterday it was not aware of abuse in relation to amanita mushrooms but added that the toxic element in some species of amanita could lead to death. A spokesman said while some were edible, "eating the wrong one or the wrong amount can result in delirium, vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps, liver failure or death".
He added: "The active hallucinogenic ingredients muscimol and ibotenic acid are sometimes contained in amanita species. These substances are not currently controlled under misuse of drugs legislation."
Asked would it now consider banning amanita mushrooms considering their potential toxicity, the spokesman said there were no plans to ban it. "If the department becomes aware of significant abuse, it can investigate to see if changes are required to the law."
VHI Healthcare says amanita intoxications are responsible for 90 per cent of mushroom deaths in the United States and western Europe.
One of the main exporters from the Netherlands of psilocybe mushrooms to Ireland before the ban said he was now inundated with requests for the amanita mushroom. However, due to its potential dangers, he did not sell it.
"The amanita mushroom is coming into Ireland now," said Ananda Schouten, the owner of De Sjamaan Smartshops. "I've had a huge increase of requests for amanita from Ireland but I don't deal with this mushroom because I think it's far too dangerous."
He added: "The Irish Government banned non-toxic psilocybe mushrooms, while leaving the mass of scientific evidence on the relative safety of them untouched. Add to this that they left toxic mushrooms perfectly legal clearly shows that the Irish Government does not have a clue."
Darcy Petticrew, owner of Himalayan Crafts Ltd in Co Meath, sells amanita mushrooms. "We would only encourage experienced mushroom users to take it," he said. "It is too strong for the average person. We, as shopkeepers, are conscious of this."
Mr Petticrew added that psilocybin mushrooms were far less potent mushroom and banning their sale "made little sense" when amanita mushrooms were still legal.
In a survey last week, Ireland was ranked fifth out of 12 European countries for its magic mushroom use among 15- to 24-year-olds. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction found that nearly 6 per cent of Irish 15- to 24-year-olds surveyed had used hallucinogenic mushrooms. The data was recorded in 2002 and 2003, when psilocybe mushrooms were still legally available here.
Ms Harney banned magic mushrooms containing psilocybin following a meeting with Eoin and Mary Hodkinson, whose son Colm died after he jumped from a balcony following an adverse hallucinogenic effect to magic mushrooms containing psilocybin.