Illicit Hallucinogens Detected in 'Nootropic' Gummy Candies Sold at Gas Stations
It's a wild ride, alright. These brain health gummies, promoting themselves as your everyday wellness boost, turned out to be a mad trip for some. Just look at 'em! Labeled as nootropics, these promising sweets ended up landing a bunch of folks, even a little tyke of three, in the emergency room at the University of Virginia Health Medical Center.
Between September 2023 and June 2024, five unfortunate souls ate these magic gummies and found themselves battling hallucinations, distorted mental states, racing hearts, and a whole lot of stomach trouble. While they all eventually bounced back and left the hospital, the youngster needed a cozy sleepover stay.
Curious scientists at UVA tested various brands, hunted down at gas stations and smoke shops, and discovered that a whopping three of 'em were secretly loaded with psilocybin or psilocin - active ingredients from the hallucinogenic world of psychedelic mushrooms. Those substances don't just dance in your head, they're Schedule I drugs, according to the FDA, meaning they supposedly have no medicinal use and are risky business. These brands, on the other hand, boasted that they contained the Amanita muscaria, a mushroom species that's not illegal but can still give you a psychic kick when ingested. Some medical experts have been urging a public health call-to-action about the unregulated trade of these mushroom species.
An article penned in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in June elaborated on this fungal joke. The authors emphasized that Amanita muscaria and its active ingredient, muscimol, can be toxic and hallucinogenic. Even though these mushrooms don't contain psilocybin, they're often marketed and sold as "food products" or dietary supplements without regulatory approval. The researchers dropped their discoveries in a CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, clarifying that these mysterious gummies also packed secret ingredients like caffeine, ephedrine, and kratom, an illegal stimulant in six states, which doesn't include West Virginia, where these gummies were found lurking.
The UVA researchers raised flags about the unsafe sale of these gummies, warning fellow medics to watch for symptoms. In a press release, lead researcher Avery Michienzi encouraged folks to remember that just because something is legal, it doesn't equal safety. These unregulated products could contain an unpredictable mix of substances, and swallowing them might lead to some undesirable side effects.
So there you have it, folks! Be leery of those tempting brain-boosting gummies. Who knows what secrets they're hiding? Always remember, just because it's legal, doesn't mean it's safe!
- The alarming discovery made by scientists at the University of Virginia revealed that some brain health gummies, marketed as everyday wellness boosts, are secretly loaded with psilocin, an active ingredient from the hallucinogenic world of psychedelic mushrooms, which are Schedule I drugs according to the FDA.
- A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in June revealed that the species Amanita muscaria, which is often marketed as a legal alternative, can be toxic and hallucinogenic, and its active ingredient, muscimol, can be found in these unregulated products.
- The study also discovered that these mysterious gummies contain other secret ingredients like caffeine, ephedrine, and kratom, an illegal stimulant in six states, which was not found in West Virginia, where these gummies were found lurking.
- The lead researcher at UVA, Avery Michienzi, warned fellow medical professionals to be aware of the symptoms associated with these unregulated products, emphasizing that just because something is legal, it doesn't mean it's safe, as they could contain an unpredictable mix of substances and potentially lead to undesirable side effects.
