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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 General Board Posts >> Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
        
(Message started by: dirky on Jan 11^th, 2005, 11:51am)

Title: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by dirky on Jan 11^th, 2005, 11:51am

Hi, I know that this may well be a contentious issue here, but heck, here goes. I hope this is of some use to you guys.

As you may or may not be aware, proposed changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act in the UK may soon make fresh Magic Mushrooms a Class A drug. The penalties for possession will be up to 7 years imprisonment plus an unlimited fine, and for supply it’s up to life imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

The Magic Mushroom Consumers Group (MMCG) is dedicated to stopping the proposed change, in order to keep fresh magic mushrooms legal.

THE MMCG BELIEVES THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
At the moment we are currently lobbying UK government and we have already uncovered serious flaws in the way that the government’s policy has been decided upon.
The proposed changes still have to go through several stages before they become law.

“WHY SHOULD I DO ANYTHING?” I hear you ask.
The short answer is because you can. Otherwise what will you think of yourself when the first family is broken up because someone is jailed for doing something that harms nobody. It might even be you and your family! Don’t take it lying down.

“HOW CAN I DO SOMETHING?” – Now, that’s more like it.
To make a difference we need to do more than just sign an on-line petition or rant about the insanity of it to each other.
There are many things that will make a difference at this stage.
Writing to your Member of Parliament
Writing to a newspaper
Get involved in spreading the word
Become part of MMCG (even anonymously) we appreciate all the help you can offer.

Visit our site to learn more about the situation and for helpful information and links that will allow you to do your bit -

http://www.magicmushroomconsumers.org/

Or log in, introduce yourself and join the debate at –

http://www.magicmushroomforum.co.uk/

Thanks

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by vig on Jan 11^th, 2005, 11:54am

It was the misuse of psilocybin for recreational purposes that made it illegal for medicinal use.
:-/

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by LeeS on Jan 11^th, 2005, 12:17pm

Yeah Dirky, I agree with Vig.

I'm from the 'don't rock the boat' camp in the UK - the rockier it gets, the more people will notice. I'll have a looksie at your webby anyway, so thanks for the URLs.

-Lee

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by dirky on Jan 11^th, 2005, 12:44pm

Vig

I know what you are saying, but then again, fresh magic mushroom consumption has never been illegal in the UK and without it's use "recreationally", CH sufferers wouldnt be in the position now where they could decide to self medicate with mushrooms.

I'm coming from the viewpoint of it being a drug which can both be used and abused (though it actually carries a low risk of harm compared to most other drugs)

LeeS,
I would have agreed with you a year ago, but sadly, the time for not rocking the boat has passed, It is the unregulated and open sale in shops and marketplaces has led to the proposed law changes.

Personaly I view psilocybin mushrooms as a self pescribed tonic for my own mental health and spiritual growth.

Some people will go as far as to describe them as a sacrament to thier very own religion.

MMCG believes in the way forward being regulation rather than prohibition. Otherwise we are simply giving another product to illegal drug dealers, so that anyone seeking to buy them for whatever reason, will be confronted with the opportunity to buy lethal,addictive drugs too.

As an aside, If anyone in the UK was thinking about selfmedicating with Psilocybe mushrooms, then you would be well advised to tell nobody about it, and perhaps become fammiliar with the techniques of growing them yourself. People will be a little less inclined to supply you with them when the penalty for supply is life imprisonment!

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by dirky on Jan 12^th, 2005, 9:23am

excuse me for bumping this up the board by posting this,

But does anyone else here have an opinion on the subject ?

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by Bob P on Jan 12^th, 2005, 9:50am

I think you should drop the blanket petition for keeping shrooms legal and focus on getting shrooms accepted for medical purposes, treatment of clsuters.

To some people alcohol is god!

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by vig on Jan 12^th, 2005, 9:53am

Good point Bob

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by karma on Jan 12^th, 2005, 9:54am

meet em half way.
encourage regulation but keep it legal.

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by dirky on Jan 12^th, 2005, 11:10am

Speaking on behalf of the MMCG,
We would like to see a regulated market, with harm reduction advice available and age restrictions enforced.

In fact, in a way, all we want is the same rights as alcohol users.

The promotion of MM as "a party drug" is something that has concerned many of us, and it is irresponsible sale and use that has got us into this situation.

Personally, I view your rights to use MM's as being way superior to the "Average" MM consumer, though I'd also stress that MM use has enriched my own spiritual wellbeingso much that the ban feels like religious persecution.
Of course, thereis no chance of that being accepted as a reason for use in the UK (unlike the Peyote/Native American Church situation).

Regarding the pettition, that is a bit of a worry, it was started by some unknown individual as soon as the bill was reported.
In my own opinion, online pettitions carry little sway with government. And allthough it is nice to see the support, it also means that some people may think "well, I've done my bit by signing the pettition", instead of perhaps contacting thier member of parliament.

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by vig on Jan 12^th, 2005, 3:12pm

We have a unique perspective in this country that says it's FAR more important to protect people from the dangers of self-inflicted drug abuse, than to help people in need of medical relief.

wait, that doesn't make any sense.
let me check.....
tic, toc, tic, toc.....

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by dirky on Jan 13^th, 2005, 4:39am

What is the world coming to,

It looks like us in the UK we are going to lose a personal freedom, to become more like "the land of the free".

this is more mind boggling than mushrooms themselves.

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by Flash on Jan 13^th, 2005, 7:47am

on 01/12/05 at 09:50:26, Bob P wrote:

I think you should drop the blanket petition for keeping shrooms legal and focus on getting shrooms accepted for medical purposes, treatment of clsuters.

To some people alcohol is god!

Yeah of course because they are illegal in the US and the US Law is the fuckin default... NOT.

In MY country shrooms have been legal for ever. Why the fuck should they be made illegal? I see no good reason. Should they be regulated? Doh YES! But illegal... err isn't that a step backwards. Recreational does not equate to BAD. See rock climbing is both recreational and dangerous, yet rocks are naturally occuring. Do we ban rock climbing? Do we ban rocks? NO WE DO NOT.

What might be useful to this campaign is for it to include some text to the point that people like me are being given a stark choice:

A) Break the law and risk going to jail.
B) Lose everything I've worked for and end up in the gutter living off the state, and in terrible pain. Which would result in

i) lost taxes of approx £3.5M per year that my unimpeded activities directly generate.
ii) and an increase in the payment of state benefits of £20K per year that I would undoubtedly consume, especially once sumatiptan prescriptions are taken into account.

C) Kill myself. And I'm not fuckin kiddin, no way am I going back to that place. But before I do I'll take every fucker that decided to help make this illegal with me. Also not fuckin kiddin. People with nothing left to lose are dangerous.

Yes I feel strongly about this.

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by vig on Jan 13^th, 2005, 7:52am

I hope you didn't think RECREATIONAL meant BAD, it's different though. BOOZE is still legal here but controlled. I aint goin' back in there either.

Title: [b][/bRe: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by JJA on Jan 13^th, 2005, 9:45am

Keeping recreational and medical use separate makes sense, but governments tend not to work by common sense. Look at the medical marijuana situation in the US:

DEA:You can't use marijuana because it's illegal and it has not been and approved as medically useful by the FDA.
Researcher: Can I do a study to show that it is effective medically?
FDA: Yes, but you need the DEA's approval to obtain the marijuana.
Reseacher: Can I obtain marijuana to do this study?
DEA: No.
Researcher: Why?
DEA: Because it is illegal and has no medical value.

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/367/noumass.shtml

It's far less messy to just keep it legal and avoid the mess we made in the "land of the free."

Jesse

Title: Re: Prohibition of Psilocybe mushrooms in UK
Post by dirky on Jan 13^th, 2005, 12:35pm

Flash - "Do we ban rock climbing? Do we ban rocks?"

Don't go giving the F*ckers any ideas now.

Flash -"Yes I feel strongly about this"

I'd sensed that :)

But joking apart, I'm incensed by the situation, and I dont even us it as a medication (well, not in the same way that you guys do anyway). We are doing our best over at www.magicmushroomconsumers.org to try to stop that part of the bill becoming law. But it's not easy to become organised activists. drop over to the forum or at least keep in touch.
Help is required if you are up to it, we are not a closed shop clique (though it can appear like that at times).

(If you want any help with anything related to growing, pop over to the www.magicmushroomforum.co.uk tell us you are from here and ask away.)

good luck - derek