Magic Mushroom presence in Islamabad
Magic Mushroom finding its way to Pakistan while there is no data available with ANF about it
Pak Chronicle Special Report
Islamabad
A mushroom which is found thousands miles away from Pakistan and which is commonly known as Magic Mushroom has found its way to Islamabad Pakistan.
Very little is known by authorities concerned about it as no data is available about it yet in their files.
This new drug has its own protocol of consumption which requires an open and natural environment. As a result of its consumption, its ecstasy lasts for a few hours.
As its usage may lead to hallucination of any kind the people who use it prefer to go outside and then chew it for getting high.
An official of Anti-Narcotics Force, the agency which takes action against drugs in Pakistan, when contacted by this scribe said that there isn’t any report about confiscation of this drug in Pakistan so far.
While declining to be named he stated it might be in use over here with some street name but drug with the name of mushroom or magic mushroom was never seized by the ANF. He said hashish got the name of boti or dawai as its street name over here along with other names.
He said drugs’ shape and form also vary from country to country. While elaborating his point of view he said the drug named as marijuana is found in very different shape in Pakistan compared with the one which is found in America.
However, this scribe has reliably learnt that magic mushroom has already found its way to Pakistan, especially in Islamabad.
This is learnt that a few people belonging to well off class taste it occasionally or on a regular basis.
Psilocybin or magic mushrooms are naturally occurring and are consumed for their hallucinogenic effects.
According to Wikipedia Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms, are a polyphyletic informal group of fungi that contain psilocybin which turns into psilocin upon ingestion.
They are psychedelic drugs, which means they can affect all the senses, altering a person’s thinking, sense of time and emotions. Psychedelics can cause a person to hallucinate, seeing or hearing things that do not exist or are distorted.
The key ingredient in magic mushrooms is psilocybin. When psilocybin is taken, it’s converted in the body to psilocin, which is the chemical with the psychoactive properties. Magic mushrooms look much like an ordinary mushroom. This type of mushroom is generally found in Mexico which is around 13,966 kilometers away from Pakistan.
There have been some high profile killings in Islamabad recently which were highly highlighted by the media. There has been talk of some drugs in some social circles with reference to these killings but investigation of the police couldn’t make so far any headline in this connection.
There has been talk in some social circles that as such drugs are being consumed by some people which may cause hallucination to a higher degree. At the same time, it is reliably learnt that magic mushroom has its presence in Pakistan, especially in the capital territory.
Meanwhile according to the data compiled by ANF, so far this year up to July 2022 a total of 68 metric tons of drugs and 7030 litres of various forms of it have been seized by it.
The data which has been submitted to the National Assembly recently by ANF revealed that it has seized 30,721kgs hashish so far which in terms of quantity is surpassing all other drugs.
Opium stands next in this list with 9,092kgs which has been seized by the law enforcement agency this year till the mentioned month. Heroin is another drug which has been seized in larger quantities. The ANF so far this year till July seized 6,233kgs heroin till July this year.
Morphine, crystal, cocaine, amphetamine, meth, ecstasy tablets etc are some other drugs which were seized by the law enforcement agency.
According to the ANF Afghanistan is the largest drug producer where reportedly 84 percent of the total opium is cultivated and produced. Along with traditional opiates recent years have seen increased production of methamphetamine (Ice) in Afghanistan. Due to international sanctions and deteriorating economic conditions, it is expected that the Afghan drug market will expand as an alternate source to support the economy.
Due to its close proximity with Afghanistan, Pakistan is a victim country for Afghan drugs/opiates. It is estimated that approximately 30 percent of Afghan drugs transit through Pakistan, ANF further stated.
According to it the flow/smuggling of precursor chemicals to Afghanistan also poses serious challenges to Pakistan, although fencing along the Pakistan/Afghanistan border has greatly reduced the free movement of drugs. However, trafficking of drugs via borders with unfinished fencing and through border crossing points in the garb of trade continues, it is further maintained.
Meanwhile this has also learnt that no fresh presentable data is available about users of drugs in Pakistan.
Ends
