Magic mushroom alternatives recalled across US, one person sickened in SD

These Diamond Shruumz brand products have been recalled after reports of illnesses and one potential death. (Image from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

A death in North Dakota and 48 reported illnesses — including one in South Dakota — led to a nationwide recall of psychedelic candies.

The recall affects products from the company Prophet Premium Blends Diamond Shruumz, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The products include micro-dosing chocolate bars, infused cones and micro-dose and mega-dose/extreme gummies.

Officials in North Dakota have not released any additional information on the death in that state. The South Dakota Department of Health did not immediately answer questions Friday on whether the South Dakota case involved a hospitalization. There were 27 reported hospitalizations across 24 states linked to the products as of July 1, according to a notice from the CDC . A spokesperson for Attorney General Marty Jackley’s office did not immediately respond to a question on the legal status of the substances in South Dakota.

South Dakota state government offices were closed Friday as part of the Fourth of July weekend.

Law banning sale of some near-pot products takes effect, but won’t prevent every legal high

The CDC notice says the agency has gotten reports of “severe acute illnesses and other adverse effects,” and that it’s working with the Food and Drug Administration and state partners “to determine whether other products are associated with adverse health effects.”

The death in North Dakota that factored into the recall was “potentially” linked to the products, the CDC says.

A recall notice on the Diamond Shruumz website suggests that the illnesses were related to people who’d eaten entire chocolate bars that had “higher levels of Muscimol than normal.”

The site still lists the products, but there is no purchase option.

“It is crucial that all of our consumers refrain from ingesting this product while we, alongside the FDA, continue our investigation as to what is the cause of the serious adverse effects,” the website says.

Muscimol is a psychoactive substance used in psychedelic products. The company told the FDA that the substance could be responsible for the medical issues that sparked the recall, “including seizures, central nervous system depression (loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness), agitation, abnormal heart rates, hyper/hypotension, nausea, and vomiting.”

According to the North Dakota Monitor , North Dakota officials are warning the public because the recalled products could still be available for sale online, in stores that sell hemp-derived products, or in smoke and vape shops, said Michelle Dethloff, director of the infectious diseases and epidemiology unit.

“Diamond Shruumz-brand products have been recalled and should no longer be available for sale,” according to the FDA.

The FDA’s webpage on the recall says it’s continuing to conduct tests to determine the chemical makeup of product samples, and lists out a handful of chemicals found in samples so far. Two of the ingredients in those tested items are listed as schedule I controlled substances in South Dakota. Possession of controlled substances is a felony crime in the state.

Muscimol, the chemical reportedly responsible for the adverse reactions, is not on the state’s controlled substance list.

The “mushroom” products are different from the hemp-derived intoxicants that became illegal to sell or make in South Dakota as of July 1. Those products, including those labeled delta-8 or delta-10, are not illegal to possess and remain available for purchase online.

Products that ape the effects of federally barred psilocybin hallucinogenic mushrooms — also known as “magic mushrooms” — were not specifically targeted by lawmakers who passed the ban over the winter.

Muscimol can come from the Amanita muscaria mushroom, which is not illegal under federal law. According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on June 10, 12.3% of Americans have tried psilocybin, making it the most-used hallucinogen in the nation. That popularity, the article says, has helped spur a market for the toadstool-like Amanita. It notes that Google searches related to “Amanita muscaria” rose 114% between 2022 and 2023.

The post Magic mushroom alternatives recalled across US, one person sickened in SD appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight .