Editing Drug policy of the Netherlands (section)

===Law banning "magic mushrooms"===
[[File:Paddo products Warmoesstraat Amsterdam april 2007.JPG|thumb|Different [[Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants|entheogenic]] [[mushroom]]s on display in [[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]] in 2007]]

In October 2007, the prohibition of [[psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants|hallucinogenic]] or "[[Psilocybin mushrooms|magic mushrooms]]" was announced by the Dutch authorities.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/12/AR2007101202239.html |title=Dutch Declare Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Illegal |work=The Washington Post |date=2007-10-13 |access-date=2011-04-20 |first=Toby |last=Sterling |archive-date=6 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206190259/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/12/AR2007101202239.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/netherlands-imposes-total-ban-on-magic-mushrooms-396774.html |title=Netherlands imposes total ban on 'magic' mushrooms |work=The Independent|date=2007-10-13 |access-date=2011-04-20 |location=London |first=James |last=MacIntyre |archive-date=6 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206131514/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/netherlands-imposes-total-ban-on-magic-mushrooms-396774.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 25 April 2008, the Dutch government, backed by a majority of members of parliament, decided to ban cultivation and use of all magic mushrooms. Amsterdam mayor [[Job Cohen]] proposed a three-day cooling period in which clients would be informed three days before actually procuring the mushrooms and if they would still like to go through with it they could pick up their spores from the smart shop.<ref>{{cite web |agency=Agence France-Presse |url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iEADgdtkZqEa5Fll7Vf4IMMhnhBg |title=Netherlands to ban 'magic mushrooms' |date=2008-04-25 |access-date=2011-04-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006071745/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iEADgdtkZqEa5Fll7Vf4IMMhnhBg |archive-date=2012-10-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7369431.stm |title=Dutch bill to ban magic mushrooms |publisher=BBC News |date=2008-04-26 |access-date=2011-04-20 |archive-date=30 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430105610/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7369431.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
The ban has been considered a retreat from liberal drug policies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/12/europe/EU-GEN-Netherlands-Magic-Mushrooms.php |title=Dutch Cabinet bans sale of hallucinogenic mushrooms in new retreat from liberal policies |newspaper=International Herald Tribune |date=2007-10-12 |access-date=2011-04-20}}</ref> This followed a few deadly incidents mostly involving tourists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.simplyamsterdam.nl/news/French_tourist_in_Amsterdam_commits_suicide_after_using_magic_mushrooms.htm |title=French tourist in Amsterdam commits suicide after using 'magic mushrooms' |publisher=Simplyamsterdam.nl |date=2007-03-27 |access-date=2011-04-20}}</ref> These deaths were not directly caused by the use of the drug ''per se'', but by deadly accidents occurring while under the influence of magic mushrooms.

As of 1 December 2008, all psychedelic mushrooms are banned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reddepaddo.nl/|title=Mushplanet|access-date=2008-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808214704/http://reddepaddo.nl/|archive-date=2008-08-08|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, [[Magic truffle|sclerotia]] (what are termed as "truffles" and which have similar effects to magic mushrooms), mushroom spores, and active mycellium cultures<ref>[http://www.shamantar.com/about-truffles.html About Magic Truffles] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201064119/http://www.shamantar.com/about-truffles.html |date=2012-12-01 }} Shamantar.com</ref> remain legal and are readily available in "[[Smart shop|smartshops]]", which are urban stores that sell legal drugs, herbs and related gadgets.