The unregulated sale of Amanita muscaria mushrooms needs a public health response

As a well studied amateur mycologist of 45+ years, i feel the need to comment that there has never once been a documented death from the consumption and use of A. muscaria, or any of the other related species. They are frankly a good edible species after a short boil and discard the water. They are regularly harvested and consumed and preserved in eastern Europe and Russia. Please do actual research on such matters and leave the propagation of mistruths and fear at the door step of the realm of facts. You are exponentially more likely to be poisoned by a plant than any fungi.

I think someone an editorial needs to review this article. There are a number of claims in here that are not clearly laid out.

When comparing the toxicities of Amanita and fentanyl, what exactly are you saying here? Are you saying that Amanita has a higher rate of death pers usage? Because I would say that that seems unlikely, but it certainly would need a citation.

At a moment when psychoactive mushrooms are being deregulated in the united states, it wouldn't make a lot of sense to regulate a substance that isn't particularly psychoactive.

Hospitalizations for cannabis use among inexperienced users doesn't mean the Cannabis is toxic, it means that sometimes people hospitalize themselves for anxiety. The person that is being described in this article is trying to treat her anxiety with amanita, got anxious, went to the hospital. I hardly think that this means Amanita needs to be more regulated. It probably means that women with anxiety need to get better attention and more appropriate guidance from their doctors. Especially in the United states.

Amanita muscaria has served humans seeking psycho-spiritual exploration, evidenced by shamanic use of the mushrooms by the Koryak of Siberia. Reports of reindeer consumption of amanita exist, which indicates use of psychoactive substances does not fall exclusively into the realm of human behavior. Images of the amanita have been used in cartoons, paintings, and other artistic mediums. Artistic expression has used the bright red, white spotted mushroom to represent a connection to otherworldly entities such as fairies. This iconic mushroom is not as widely recognized for its psychoactive properties as the psilocybin mushrooms, but recent reports indicate a rise in this recognition. With this rising awareness by the public, inherent  curiosity correlates with increased use.
Entheogenic experiences can be unsettling for the unprepared, and may lead to disturbing insights. Without the necessary integration, these experiences can have a detrimental impact on such individuals.
That said, much of society has forsaken freedom for the illusion of safety. By regulating human behavior we risk discarding personal liberty.
Humans have always had a relationship with psychoactive substances. At no point in human history, and most likely in prehistory, have humans not ingested psychoactive substances. Early societies primarily used these substances for religious purposes, and these uses continue to provide entheogenic experiences, and are indispensable in such environments.
To regulate human involvement with entheogens is to limit human access to the psycho-spiritual realm. This realm can be awe-inspiring, blissful, and ecstatic. It can also be frightening, especially for the uninitiated or conflicted. If properly integrated these experiences can deliver the individual to a way of being free from the confusion and chaos of the world. Unintegrated these experiences can have a detrimental, even tragic, impact on the psycho-spiritual condition. Even so such substances offer far more benefit to the world than harm.

I can't believe that they are even talking about regulation. This has helped MANY get off Benzos - which is much worse than Amanita; Fact.

FDA and other regulatory bodies have this wrong again. Of course macro doses can be extremely dangerous - so are most psych meds; see antipsychotics and benzos, of course. Many antidepressant classes can be dangerous too if not used carefully; see MAO inhibitors and food.

Amanita - when dried and dehydrated properly has "some" Ibo but most is converted to Muscimol which is mild and when taken in microdose, hospitalization is rare. I DON'tT believe the report that this woman was just microdosing - you can microdose 500mg capsules 6 times a day too; plus - you never know what else was going on.

Personally: I suffer from depression AND anxiety and when it works (if not taken daily; in my experience), it worked wonders. Most people will feel - either not well after just one or two doses - but many will feel great after one or two doses. Those not feeling good, stop taking it. Simple as that. I've tried psilo and I didn't feel good so I stopped; big deal...

This is blatantly misinformed and a call for arms regarding regulation not only does usually achieve the opposite result from what is wanted but puts people Who are otherwise completely harmless individuals Who just want to reach for alternative methods of therapy when all else has failed in a criminal regime just like we did with weed users.
First we demonize, then we recognize then we backtrack 50 years way too late. Just see what happened to psylocin. It was known to have good impacts for positive prognosis in depressive patients basically since forever but the 1970 is just plain stupid and made research impossible. Same with weed. Now It is understood It can successfully treat untractable childhood seizures that dont respond to medication and saves these poor souls from pychosurgery. It is known It can be used as an augmentation agent in other disorders or at least It can successfully manage chronic pains way better than some other alternatives. And on and on and on.
Muscimol has VERY legitimate therapeutic usages, the problem is ibotenate. Yet you claim is as toxic as cocaine and or fentanyl? Whats your basis? Is this how you do science? Please refrain from speaking about what you have no clue of.
Cheers