News of: Sunday, June 24 2007,
On Saturday afternoon, a British tourist has caused problems in a hotel near the Central Station, after using 'magic mushrooms'.
The 25-year old Brit had been using the mushrooms, that are popular for their hallucinogenic effects.
First, he ate some mushrooms, but when this did not have the desired effect, he ate more, and this caused him to become psychotic in the end.
After ruining his hotel room, the police, assisted by city health workers, managed to arrest him. Because of the aggression by the tourist, traffic in front of the hotel had to be blocked for an hour and a half. Trams were diverted.
The Brit is still in hospital, his situation is serious.
The number of incidents with magic mushrooms has strongly increased in the past few years. Last year, an ambulance was sent 128 times to assist people with medical or psychic problems after using mushrooms (in 2005 this was 44 times).
In most cases the persons seeking help were tourists.
In March of this year a 17-year old girl died after jumping from a building, after using mushrooms. Her parents now hold the Netherlands responsible, because of allowing the sale of the drug.
In Dutch Parliament there now seems to be a majority in favour of declaring fresh magic mushrooms an illegal drug (dried mushrooms are already on that list).
Magic mushrooms
