Ireland - Ireland: Speak out for the Shroom

[Mr. Giraffe]

[This is a long one. I hope you read it, but if you don’t have the time, please at least read the action suggestions and do something small today!]


Brothers, sisters, pets,

Have you been hearing what I’ve been hearing? The last couple of days, I’ve searched high and low for someone who thinks that magic mushrooms should have been banned. A 60-year old woman told me, unprompted, that most people who killed themselves did it while on alcohol. A 50 year old man thought that people could behave irrationally if they took too much of anything or combined drugs. A 30 year old woman suggested to me that we should ban cars given the high number of deaths on the road.

Even at this early stage, I believe we have majority support. You’d have to be pretty naïve to think that majority support alone could change government policy (see Iraq war), but there are 18 months until a general election to expose this ban as a sham and the politicians involved as ignorant, tabloid-chasing fools.

We can win the argument – the ‘reefer madness’ hysteria no longer really exists on the ground. It sells papers, of course, and it gives Joe Duffy something to frown upon, but people seem to be more clued in than Joe or the Sun give them credit for.

Does anyone believe it’s a coincidence that the ban became active at 2pm – just as Joe Duffy went on the air? Does anyone believe that the severe bias in selecting callers was anything other than a set-up? Both the Sun and Joe Duffy high-fived the government and patted themselves on the back when the ban came in.

The ‘controversy’ has been contrived and managed. The voice of the people has not been heard. It is now up to us to make this an issue for the next year and a half. We have nothing to lose – at the worst, we’ll end up where we stand today – criminalised by the cops and demonised by politicians and the media.

We can’t wait around for some organisation to spring up and lead us to victory. There are plenty of things we can be doing today to make an impact on an individual level.

For example, today I will ring Fine Gael and tell them that, as a prospective FG voter, I was completely put off them by the statements of Dr. Liam Twomey – their health spokesperson – on mushrooms, and that they have lost a lot of young people’s votes in my area.

Then I’ll ring the PDs and tell them that, as a free-market enthusiast, I was going to join the party until they decided to close down the free market in mushrooms.

Then I’ll ring Sinn Fein and tell them that, as a young republican, I was devastated by Aengus O’Snodaigh’s campaign to have mushrooms banned.

Anyone can spend two minutes on the phone pretending to be someone else. And everybody has a phone.

Suggestions for Action

There are three people to target in this.

Fine Gael health spokesman, Liam Twomey has been very vocal on this, saying that mushrooms are ‘dangerous and addictive’. Ring him and tell him they’re not.
Liam Twomey’s Dail office: (01) 6184299

Ring Fine Gael and tell them you’re not impressed with Twomey’s support for the ban.
Fine Gael HQ: 01-6198444

Ring Aengus O’Snodaigh and ask him whether he would campaign to ban alcohol if a drink-drive victims’ family approached him.
Aengus O’Snodaigh’s Dail office: (01) 6184084

Ring Sinn Fein and tell them they’ve lost a vote because of Aengus’ position on this.
Sinn Fein HQ: (01) 8726100/ (01) 8726932

Ring Mary Harney and ask her how she can ban mushrooms in a matter of hours, but can’t get a few poxy trollies for sick people in hospital.
Dept. of Health: (01) 635 4000

Call the PDs and tell them they’ve lost a vote over Harney’s ban.
PD HQ: 01 6794399

[The international code for Ireland is 00353, then drop the 0 at the start of the number. We need all the help we can get!]

Even if you only speak for two minutes and go, it really is worth doing, because for every call they get, they assume that 100 people feel the same and don’t call. I’ve met members of all parties who are opposed to this, so the message will be heard – and you could make a massive impact with a short phone call.

Ask the parties if they would support a ban on alcohol because of drink-driving. Ask them if they would support a ban on tobacco to tackle lung cancer.

It’s important to target the political parties at this point, because we need to build the opposition within the parties. Remember that we’re dealing with politicians here – they don’t know what they’re talking about, and we can make them very uneasy about this.

Please, people, pick up the phone.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	good effort at calling on some real action.

[Alfa]

I can only agree with you. The mushroom retailers and producers will take the ban to court. This can only have effect if there is unbiased or at least a good deal of positive information on shrooms information in the media. Judges, courts & the governments do feel the weight of media pressure. Without your imput in the media, all hope is lost. The media really is in controll here. Please write letters to the media. Can anyone post a list of newspapers, with addresses to send mail to?

[Mr. Giraffe]

Alfa, if you look at today's papers, you'll find pro-mushroom letters in the Metro, the Irish Independent, the Irish Times and Village, while the Irish Examiner carries a pro-cannabis letter.

Let's make some noise people!

Here are the emails for the papers...

Irish Examiner: letters@examiner.ie

Irish Independent: letters@unison.independent.ie

Dublin Metro: mail@metroireland.ie

Village magazine: letters@villagemagazine.ie

[Abrad]

Make sure to point out that the dead man ignored the instructions which were printed on the packaging that said not to mix with alcohol. Nobody seems to have mentioned this.

[Abrad]

please delete

[Mr. Giraffe]

Dude, link doesn't work.

Checked out boards.ie earlier.

There's potential there - we need to get these people on their phones damnit!

[Abrad]

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2054884229
Seems they moved the thread this one works.

[Abrad]

It may be worth our while trying to organise some kind of official demonstation, if we could get the numbers together and the media invilved it could really further our cause, we would no longer be invisible.

[Mr. Giraffe]

Abrad, a demo is being planned. I'll post info when it's arranged.

[Abrad]

Ah good stuff, keep me informed. Nice to see this thread stickied.

[Lunar Loops]

Excellent news. I've been doing a bit of phoning around myself. Keep us informed.

[Mr. Giraffe]

Good to see you exploring the interweb, Shroomdude!

[Lunar Loops]

Originally Posted by Mr. Giraffe

Good to see you exploring the interweb, Shroomdude!

Many thanks. Had to follow the link and see what was happening. Interesting forum.

[ezone]

Heres some stuff about the Psilocin ban from the web


On Forums

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2054883032

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2054883381

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2054886157

http://www.shroomery.org/forums/show...fpart/all/vc/1

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15365

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15738 - sticky Thread

http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=240262

http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=239675

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=149716

http://forums.lycaeum.org/cgi-bin/ul...c&f=8&t=001522

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ie-cannabis/messages



The Irish Times Poll 52% against ban

http://scripts.ireland.com/newspaper...fm?pollid=2162



Blogs

http://www.irishblogs.ie/similar.php?p=28905





Knowledge + History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:P...milanceata.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_cap_%28mushroom%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psylocibin

http://www.hermetic.com/bey/pw-irishsoma.html




Newspapers

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=13638

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=13638

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/st...001028,00.html

http://www.ourmedia.org/node/155970


From Sunday Independent 5th FEb.


Can magic mushrooms be made to disappear?

HOW many people, who are previous or potential users of magic mushrooms won't take them now that they have been banned?

Will the police begin patrolling shady fields all over the country, organising sting operations on the crowds of autumn walkers who are out hoarding?

Last week, Minister for Health Mary Harney outlawed the possession and supply of magic mushrooms, a fungus that grows naturally and in abundance all over the country.

The ban was precipitated by the death of a young man in his thirties, who jumped from the balcony of an apartment in Dun Laoghaire after taking mushrooms.

The case was certainly tragic, but also, it needs to be said, incidences of death which in some way involve consumption of magicmushrooms are incredibly rare.

It is almost physically impossible to overdose on mushrooms, and incidences of psychotic episodes which lead to death or serious injury are rare.

In fact an Irish health information website, Irishhealth.com claims that "the greatest danger is from accidentally ingesting mushrooms that are poisonous".

Magic mushrooms, the most common type of which is the Liberty Cap, are hallucinogenic, but there are certain other types of mushroom that, if eaten in error, can cause severe liver damage or even death.

Magic mushrooms are freely available to anyone who knows what to look for, and until recently, had also been available, for convenience sake one presumes, from outlets around the country.

Without the premiums that illegality imposes, they were cheap, and natural.

As opposed to all other recreational drugs, which are supplied by criminals, and mixed and cut with other chemicals and substances, consumers of magic mushrooms know exactly what they are ingesting.

Their widespread use, until now, has never lined the pockets of the criminal gangs in Dublin and beyond.

That magic mushrooms will continue to be sold on the black market in Ireland is a certainty. Thankfully, because they can be found so easily for free, they are unlikely to ever be abig money spinner for drug dealers.

Instead, the numbers of people who head off on seasonal pilgrimages from the city to Wicklow or Kildare or further afield, in search of fields with shade and sheep, (supposedly the best places to find them) will increase, and the danger of accidentally taking mushrooms that are actually poisonous will be increased. Regardless, the humble Liberty Cap continues to be laid out to dry on radiators and in hot presses all over the country.

Always the least seamy and most innocuous of the recreational drug family, magic mushrooms are arguably far less harmful to the individual and to society as a whole than either alcohol or cigarettes.




and finally Boo !


http://sinnfein.ie/news/detail/12850

Reputation Comments on this post:

good info

[Abrad]

Very interesting quote from one of the articles posted above
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=13638

Speaking about the legislation change on Today FM's The Last Word, Minister Noel Ahern said: "The change in the law is to deal with the selling of these mushrooms. There is no change about those found in procession of the drug, unless it emerges that the quantities involved show a clear intent to sell, that's a different matter."

[Alfa]

That would imply that you can legally order them from abroad, but the supplier would be liable to prosecution when he/she steps into Ire.

[Abrad]

I suppose so, as long as you don't buy a quantity that they decide is "intent to sell".

[Lunar Loops]

Originally Posted by abrad84

"The change in the law is to deal with the selling of these mushrooms. There is no change about those found in procession of the drug, unless it emerges that the quantities involved show a clear intent to sell, that's a different matter."

I wouldn't hold any great store by that quote. There have been conflicting quotes coming out of the Government and as far as I am aware you WILL be liable to prosecution if you happen to be out gathering in the fields come autumn and the guards decide to take an interest in your stroll.

[Mr. Giraffe]

Shroomonger is correct.

Noel Ahern doesn't understand anything at all about drugs. Sure, he's the drug minister, but he genuinely doesn't know anything about the law or the substances 'controlled' under the law.

The ban clearly covers possession, no matter how small the amount. The only exemption is for mushrooms which are growing uncultivated, so as soon as you pick them, they become Schedule I drugs.

[katukulysm]

Originally Posted by Mr. Giraffe

Shroomonger is correct.

Noel Ahern doesn't understand anything at all about drugs. Sure, he's the drug minister, but he genuinely doesn't know anything about the law or the substances 'controlled' under the law.

The ban clearly covers possession, no matter how small the amount. The only exemption is for mushrooms which are growing uncultivated, so as soon as you pick them, they become Schedule I drugs.

THANK YOU.

[Abrad]

Originally Posted by katukulysm

THANK YOU.

What are you talking about?

[smartbee]

Magic Mushrooms are banned all over the UK, and schedulled as a class A drug!!

[Alfa]

You point being? This topic is about Ireland.

[smartbee]

Ireland is part of the UK, this was more as a warning, don''t make the mistake to think that they are legall in other parts of the UK. Sorry if i post wrong!

[Abrad]

Ireland is NOT part of the UK.