These chocolate bars are a true delight.
Some Big Apple smoke shops are selling “magic mushroom” psilocybin bars to anyone looking for a psychedelic kick, The Post has learned.
One employee at the Convenience Store on Canal Street shared their experience with a Mindfull Magic Bar, stating, “I have a high tolerance for weed, so it’s fine for me. But, I made the stupidest decision of my actual life — I ended up getting completely messed up and took five pieces of it.”
The Post visited five storefronts in the East Village and Chinatown, selling chocolate bars with wrappers promoting the presence of multiple grams of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms and classified as a Schedule 1 illicit drug, for prices ranging from $50 to $90.
The majority of stores had bags zipped and tucked away behind the counter only upon customer request. Additionally, many stores also sell vape pens and weed candies.
The laws of New York State permit the usage and consumption of cannabis, while the consumption and sale of psilocybin are not allowed.
While a number of employees expressed their lack of concern regarding an imminent police raid, store proprietors may potentially be confronted with serious criminal charges if the candy bars do indeed possess the mind-altering component.
Michael Alcazar, a retired NYPD detective and current adjunct professor at John Jay College, expressed that the store owners feel at ease regarding the psychedelic sweets. He mentioned that there is no monitoring or supervision taking place, thus eliminating any possibility of facing consequences. Additionally, he emphasized that no one is taking the initiative to visit and inspect their activities.
According to the store employees, in the smoke shop located in the East Village, PolkaDot-branded mushroom bars are showcased in a glass display counter, along with CBD sweets and THC vaporizer pens. Within slightly more than a week, a total of 40 bars were purchased, with the majority being young women in their early twenties.
“That thing is creepy,” expressed Jay Louis, a 20-year-old, regarding his encounter
Recently, legislators in the state of New York have been advocating for the decriminalization of hallucinogens, specifically psilocybin, which has been shown by research to assist in treating alcohol addiction as well as having medical benefits.
Luke But, the CEO and founder of Centers Counseling Camelot, envisions a distinction in providing individuals regulated access to hallucinogens by administering sugar-coated drugs for medical purposes, aiming to astound them.
Nasta said, “If you have an underlying psychological condition, using a psychoactive drug at any time is going to make it worse.” “Nasta said, it might push you to exhibit extreme behavior.”
In the middle of the flight, a United Airlines passenger became violent and attacked both another passenger and a flight attendant, all while under the influence of magic mushrooms. According to reports, the assailant even proceeded to dance on the victim’s body. Tragically, a similar incident occurred in Miami last year, where a man who was hallucinating from consuming magic mushrooms fatally shot a 21-year-old father who was trying to protect his infant son.
An NYPD spokesperson stated that the department was unaware of the psilocybin bars in the 5th and 9th Precincts and that they would conduct an investigation. PolkaDot did not provide a response to the request for comment.
Further reporting by Dean Balsam