The German Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety has issued a warning about gummy bears containing muscimol, a hallucinogenic toxin extracted from the fly agaric mushroom. These gummies, produced by the Berlin-based company Deutsche Cannabis Manufaktur (DCM), are available online. The product packaging features a description that reads, “First, you take a trip in the forest, then the forest takes you on a trip.” Additionally, the label warns consumers that two gummies constitute a “serious stuff” experience, intended only for “experienced users.” While the federal agency isn’t banning these products, they are urging consumers to be aware of the potential risks associated with their consumption.
The agency emphasizes that these mushroom gummies pose a health hazard, particularly for children who might mistake them for regular candy. Muscimol is known to induce various side effects, including dizziness, nausea, fatigue, a feeling of weightlessness, visual and auditory hypersensitivity, spatial distortion, time distortion, and hallucinations. These effects, although similar in some respects to those produced by classic psychedelics like psilocybin, differ in their mechanism of action. Unlike psilocybin and other classic psychedelics, muscimol does not interact with serotonin 5-HT2A receptors. This distinction has led researchers to advocate for enhanced regulation of muscimol-containing products due to serious safety concerns.
In the United States, amanita muscaria, the mushroom from which muscimol is derived, is not currently listed on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). However, states retain the authority to criminalize substances not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Louisiana has taken the initiative to ban amanita muscaria, and other states may follow suit due to the potential toxicity associated with this substance.
