Fresh ban closes loophole on magic mushrooms

BRITONS who buy and sell magic mushrooms will no longer be able to take advantage of a loophole in the law which did not specify that fresh forms of the fungi were illegal.

Yesterday the Drugs Act 2005 came into force stating the Class A drug whether dry, packaged or fresh is banned.

Anyone caught selling, possessing or supplying the drug could face prosecution under Section 21 of the act. It was an offence to import, export, supply or possess dried or packaged magic mushrooms.

But there was no clear guidance on the fresh equivalent.

The new legislation rules that psilocin, the hallucinogen found in magic mushrooms, is illegal and the mushrooms are considered to be controlled drugs.

British Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said: "By clarifying the law we are making it clear that we will not allow the sale and supply of magic mushrooms, whether fresh or dried.

"This will benefit people likely to be at risk from the dangerous effects of magic mushrooms and will bring to an end the profiteering in fresh mushrooms by growing numbers of vendors."

The number of shops selling magic mushrooms in Britain has soared from a handful to more than 400 in the past two years.

Much of the supply comes from the Netherlands.

John Whyte, from the British customs detection unit, said: "HM revenue and customs will take a robust approach to the traffic in magic mushrooms and is fully committed to achieving the government's aim to shut down the commercial importation and supply of these goods."