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 veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 13,985
Loc: 
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 Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News)
#10612932 - 07/02/09 11:06 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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The Shroomery's own Alan Rockefeller was interviewed earlier today by Tony Gonzalez from the News Virginian newpaper. The reporter wanted to get his views after the recent mushroom bust in Waynesboro, VA...
Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar
July 3, 2009 - newsvirginian.com
When Waynesboro police were tipped Wednesday to hallucinogenic mushrooms growing in a local apartment, they organized a seizure in a matter of hours and arrested a man who could be sent to prison if convicted of dealing the psychedelic drug.
But psychedelic mushrooms rarely make their way onto police radar, despite online communities that openly offer tips on growing mushrooms and first-hand accounts of drug use.
Mushrooms, which include the psilocybin hallucinogen, are most often found along with other drugs, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which rarely targets mushroom growers. Local authorities spoke similarly.
“If we’ve run across these in the past, it’s been possession cases,” Waynesboro police Sgt. Brian Edwards said Thursday.
City police Wednesday seized 107 Mason jars, each containing several psychedelic mushrooms, a record haul, from a New Hope Road apartment. Police arrested Felix Christopher Gutierrez, 31, on charges of possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana.
“Very few people actually complain about the police arresting them,” said Alan Rockefeller, 27, of California, who helps moderate online discussions at Shroomery.org, one of a handful of sites dedicated to discussion of illegal psychedelic mushrooms.
“It’s a very vibrant community,” Rockefeller said of online forums, where thousands of mushroom users and growers read and write daily about hallucinogens.
Psychedelic mushrooms can produce intense distortions of reality, emotional disturbances and muscle relaxation, according to the National Institutes of Health and DEA. Effects can last for hours.
Hallucinogens are relatively “non-toxic,” according to a 2008 Johns Hopkins University research paper. That paper reports that studies into the effects of hallucinogens have been recently revived as scientists consider the drugs for treatment of psychiatric disorders and as aids in learning about perception and cognition.
“Hallucinogens ... have not been shown to result in organ damage or neuropsychological deficits,” and are not considered drugs of dependence, the paper states.
The most likely risk is an anxiety-ridden “bad trip,” according to the paper, most commonly found in users who have pre-existing mental illness.
Yet mushroom possession and distribution is a felony, which many users consider out of touch with reality, Rockfeller said.
The Shroomery moderator said some mushrooms can be dangerous, especially those found in the wild and consumed. But online forums can reduce harm to otherwise unknowing users, he said. Rockefeller spends much of his online time helping others identify wild mushrooms.
“It’s definitely easier and simpler to grow them yourself,” he said.
Despite the relatively low risk associated with hallucinogen use, Johns Hopkins researchers recommend “appropriate and conservative safeguards” in any studies using hallucinogens.
Mushrooms are illegal in all states, but the spores used to grow them are legal to own in 47 states.
The Gutierrez case represents perhaps the only “significant” hallucinogen bust in city history, police said after reviewing arrest records.
Gutierrez is being held at Middle River Regional Jail and awaits a July 27 preliminary hearing.
Police found no sales records in the man’s apartment and could not estimate street value of the mushrooms.
Rockefeller said the value “probably wouldn’t pay the rent.”
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 lacma50
Registered: 03/13/09
Posts: 1,860
Loc: Lazy Daze in California
Last seen: 24 days, 14 hours
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (Shroomery in the News) [Re: veggie]
#10613018 - 07/02/09 11:20 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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haha!
thats tight
good job rockefeller
does anyone know the weight of all the shrooms they found?
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"Any rational person changes his mind when confronted with new evidence."
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NastyDHL
breaking the cycles
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: veggie]
#10613062 - 07/02/09 11:29 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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79towncar
Stranger
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: NastyDHL]
#10613109 - 07/02/09 11:40 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Hey nice to see Rock in the headlines..... (in a good way)
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Coaster
Baʿal
Registered: 05/22/06
Posts: 33,501
Loc: Deep in the Valley
Last seen: 7 months, 17 days
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: NastyDHL]
#10613113 - 07/02/09 11:41 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
“Very few people actually complain about the police arresting them,” said Alan Rockefeller, 27, of California, who helps moderate online discussions at Shroomery.org,
DUDE WTF ROCKEFELLER UR GIVING THE IMPRESSION NO1 CARES IF WE ARREST SHROOMERS
WHY ARE U GUYS HAPPY ABOUT THIS
WHY ARE U CLAPPING
THIS IS BAD NEWS
THIS PUTS SHROOMERS IN A BAD LIGHT
LETS JUST ARREST EVERY1 WHO GROWS SHROOMS NO1 CARES
ITS NOT LIKE ANY1 COMPLAINS RIGHT
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DaVinci
Liberal Pinko Commie
Registered: 09/24/05
Posts: 300
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: Coaster]
#10613138 - 07/02/09 11:47 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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um.
I think he was talking about DEALERS.
not shroomers who grow for themselves.
I approve. Where is this Alan, that I may give him 5 shrooms for giving sound, factual information?
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Coaster
Baʿal
Registered: 05/22/06
Posts: 33,501
Loc: Deep in the Valley
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: DaVinci]
#10613155 - 07/02/09 11:52 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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so ur saying if sum1 sells shrooms they belong in jail?
u guys r heartless
HEARTLESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Coaster
Baʿal
Registered: 05/22/06
Posts: 33,501
Loc: Deep in the Valley
Last seen: 7 months, 17 days
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: Coaster]
#10613159 - 07/02/09 11:54 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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besides there was no evidence that suggests he deals besides the weight
so basically u guys are all saying if u grow past a certain amount
no1 cares if they throw u in jail
u guys r FUCKED UP
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veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 13,985
Loc:
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: Coaster]
#10613264 - 07/03/09 12:17 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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You may be misinterpreting Alan's statement. It's probably taken out of context. He may address this when he is back online, but I think he is saying that as a moderator of a popular mushroom forum he rarely hears of members getting arrested NOT that members get arrested and don't care about it. That wouldn't make any sense.
It's not a pro-mushroom article, that wasn't to be expected. But I think it is a pretty much balanced story. The reporter did take the time to get a point of view from someone other than the police department spokesperson. And Alan stepped up to the plate and agreed to be interviewed. He is to be commended for that. And I think he did an excellent job.
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Coaster
Baʿal
Registered: 05/22/06
Posts: 33,501
Loc: Deep in the Valley
Last seen: 7 months, 17 days
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: veggie]
#10613278 - 07/03/09 12:19 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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ooooooooooooo ok thats kewl
its funny they interviewed a californian for a virginian article
californian's cant even get spores legally hahhahaha
good job rocky feller
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta
Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 6,209
Loc: The Evil Empire 
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: DaVinci]
#10613283 - 07/03/09 12:20 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
DaVinci said:
Where is this Alan, that I may give him 5 shrooms for giving sound, factual information?
You can usually find Alan in the Hunting and Identifidcation forum.
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mofo
Hobby Jingoist
Registered: 04/05/08
Posts: 2,232
Loc: Donkey Kong Kill Screen
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: veggie]
#10613289 - 07/03/09 12:21 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
veggie said:
City police Wednesday seized 107 Mason jars, each containing several psychedelic mushrooms...
unless those are spawn jars, it sounds like the guy was doing a large-scale pf tek. If thats the case, then he was running a pretty poorly planned mickey mouse grow. I doubt he's a shroomerite. He could have learned a thing or two here.
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Haemaglobin
Stranger
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: veggie]
#10613325 - 07/03/09 12:30 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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I think the report was very fair.
What I just keep failing to get my head around is the fact that it is illegal at all...and I would say this for most recreational drugs. To me it is complete madness that these laws exist.
"Police found no sales records in the man’s apartment and could not estimate street value of the mushrooms"
oh fucking hell...
1. just because he had X amount of mushrooms and some weed does not mean he deals.
2. lets just assume he did deal. Would he keep sales records of each transaction "would you like a reciept for taxation purposes with that 20grams of subs sir?"
fuck off stupid people who want to look after me.
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"In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity."
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tyler_0_durden
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: Haemaglobin]
#10613548 - 07/03/09 01:30 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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lol...sales records. Seriously. Usually if people sell mushrooms they are only going to sell to their friends anyway, or people that they at least have gotten acquainted with well. Its funny how police freak out about these drugs, when in fact they are probably the safer ones to do. Yes they can distort reality to the user quite a bit, but 99.9% of people who do shrooms their first time KNOW what they're getting into and see prepared for the most part. Plus, they can offer profound insights into someones psyche and allow someone to make improvements in their lives by rediscovering themselves.... I do not understand why they are illegal. And the fact that they are a felony. Don't police know that the law against mushrooms will destroy someones life, whereas the drug itself actually benefits people in most cases? Ridiculous laws if you ask me. I was thankful enough once to be graced by an understanding officer of the law who arrested me for picking blig ringers once. He told me that it was a felony and all I wanted to do in the first place was conduct some introspection on myself. He soared me the felony charge, probably realizing that he would have single-handedly destroyed my life if he had put it on my record.
Its kind of odd how we are not allowed to use psychedelics to explore our minds. I don't think a single soul on this earth uses mushrooms to "get high". If anyone does they are an idiot and they are abusing this sacred fungus. Mushies are meant to teach.
I can't believe the DEA decided to say that it "relaxes the muscles" to try and paint psilocybin as some sort of narcotic alongside heroin or oxycodone. What idiots. I doubt anyone in the DEA has ever tried a psychedelic. If they had, they wouldn't be working for that administration.
Anyone who has ever taken a psychedelic responsibly knows that they offer more potential for good than harm.
I just wish we were actually free to put whatever we want in our bodies in the US, since we DO own our own bodies. Well, I mean we SHOUld own them....too bad we don't.
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"As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about atoms this much: There is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter." --Max Planck
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Mr. Middle
Registered: 07/11/99
Posts: 6,522
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: veggie]
#10613833 - 07/03/09 03:07 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Big ups Alan. 
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JackofSpades
Peace
Registered: 02/28/09
Posts: 2,894
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: Mr. Middle]
#10614347 - 07/03/09 05:54 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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finally accurate information...
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  If you're frightened of dying and you're holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But if you've made your peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the earth.
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masspan
rat racer
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: JackofSpades]
#10614563 - 07/03/09 07:14 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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'Psychedelic mushrooms can produce intense distortions of reality, emotional disturbances and muscle relaxation, according to the National Institutes of Health and DEA. Effects can last for hours.'
awesome! muscle relaxant, did not know this, as in, wow, i have to take a shit, but i know it is gonna be so freakin' weird.
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Prisoner#1
Even Dumber ThanAdvertized!
Registered: 01/22/03
Posts: 152,626
Loc: Pvt. Pubfag NutSuck
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: Coaster]
#10615341 - 07/03/09 10:34 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Coaster said:
Quote:
�Very few people actually complain about the police arresting them,� said Alan Rockefeller, 27, of California, who helps moderate online discussions at Shroomery.org,
DUDE WTF ROCKEFELLER UR GIVING THE IMPRESSION NO1 CARES IF WE ARREST SHROOMERS
other than 'shroomers', friends and family, who of the general
public really cares of someone is arrested, I cant think of one
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geokills
☼··· º¿° ···☼
Registered: 05/08/01
Posts: 16,491
Loc: city of angels
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 Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: veggie]
#10615616 - 07/03/09 11:46 AM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Nice job Alan, thanks for taking some time to share our side of the story! 
And thanks to the journalist for taking time to document variant perspectives.
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┼ ··∙ long live the shroomery ∙·· ┼
...╬π╥  ╥π╬...
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Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist
Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 24,722
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Re: Psychedelic mushrooms grow off radar [VA] (The Shroomery in the News) [Re: Coaster]
#10616237 - 07/03/09 01:45 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
And thanks to the journalist for taking time to document variant perspectives.
Tony did an excellent job of summarizing our conversation. He asked a lot of good questions.
Quote:
DUDE WTF ROCKEFELLER UR GIVING THE IMPRESSION NO1 CARES IF WE ARREST SHROOMERS
When I said that few people complain, I meant it both ways.
Its not often that someone complains about psilocybin laws. There are lots of things that could be done, but most people say nothing. The average citizen in your neighborhood doesn't want to pay for your prison cell due to your mycology hobby, but they don't realize where their taxes are going so they aren't going to say anything.
Everyone should spend a few minutes per day to work to change bad laws, and I have seen very little evidence of this happening wrt psilocybin.
One reason is the low number of busts. Cops do not show up randomly and psilocybin users are rarely a real problem.
Societies fear of drugs and mushrooms leads to thousands of otherwise law abiding citizens being sent to prison, for no good reason and at great taxpayer expense.
Its worth complaining about.
The government isn't evil and they aren't out to get you, they just want to do what is right. It is your responsibility to contact them and offer guidance.
Quote:
It's probably taken out of context.
Everything you say to reporters will be printed out of context. Thats just how it works when you condense a real conversation into a news article. Its not good or bad, it just means that you have to be very precise with your language.
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