RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia doctor and poison expert Dr. Avery Michienzi has a warning for anyone who buys mushroom gummies sold at smoke shops and convenience stores.
"I would be very, very cautious with what you're buying," Dr. Michienzi said. "Know that even if the label says it's one thing, there's a very, very good chance that it's not what it says it is.”
Michienzi, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Virginia and assistant medical director at the Blue Ridge Poison Center, said she first heard about mushroom gummies last fall.
"Patients that had taken these mushroom gummies, and I think usually when people hear mushroom gummies they think like psilocybin," she said.
Psilocybin is the hallucinogenic component in the drug known as “magic mushrooms.” Those are illegal in Virginia and most places in the United States.
The products sold in some Virginia smoke shops and convince stores are marketed as containing amanita muscaria mushrooms and other blends that are legal.
"I kind of scratched my head and said, ‘Wait, why are why are we marketing those now? Like what's going on?” she said.
Michienzi and her team tested five products sold at around Charlottesville.
Three of the five products actually contained psilocybin.
Other substances not listed on the packaging, but found in the products included stimulants like ephedrine, phenethylamines, and caffeine.
"I also found kratom . Kratom is an opioid substance. All those things were concerning to me because maybe users don't know that those things are there," she said.
Even the legal mushrooms these products claim to contain can cause stomach issues and seizures, Michienzi said.
While patients who went to the hospital turned out to be okay, officials one of them was a three-year-old child who required an overnight stay.
"We're going to see more kids get into these things," she said. "Because they're smaller, they can be more affected by these substances, have more severe symptoms.”
VCU's Poison Center confirmed to CBS 6 that it too has seen several cases of illness caused by mushroom gummies.
"I would be very, very cautious with what you're buying. And know that even if the label says it's one thing, there's a very, very good chance that it's not what it says it is," Michienzi said. “We call it the Wild West of toxicology out there right now.”
CBS 6 reached out to Virginia’s consumer protection agency who advised Virginians to not consume any products that claim to have psychedelic effects for the reasons you just heard. They also ask consumers who see products containing psilocybin to report it to law enforcement.
Do not consume chocolate, gummies, snack foods, or other edible products claiming to produce feelings of euphoria, hallucinations, or psychedelic effects, as they may contain undisclosed toxic ingredients, such as psilocybin and psilocin which are illegal under Virginia law. If consumers are aware of products containing psilocybin or psilocin being sold, they should contact law enforcement. In addition, consumers should keep children away from these products as they may be mistaken for candy.
If you have consumed a product and are having symptoms, seek immediate medical attention or call the Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222) for advice. Signs and symptoms may include gastrointestinal effects (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain), hallucinations, uncontrolled movements, fast or slow heart rate, high or low blood pressure, coughing, choking, excessive sweating or secretions, and flushed skin. Other severe adverse effects have been reported, including seizures, decreased level of consciousness, and respiratory failure. Consumers are also encouraged to report adverse events related to these products to FDA MedWatch.
-Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services spokesperson
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
