July 10, 2001

Danny Clements
1801 US Hwy 1
Po Drawer 1268
Vero Beach, FL 32961

Dear Sir:
As the author of the North Florida Shroom Guide Website (http://jug-or-not.com/shroom),
I was concerned about the article in your July 9th paper “Psychedelic mushrooms a
Treasure Coast Attraction”.

It is interesting to note that the article pointed out that “the largest harm comes from
misidentification and eating the wrong mushroom, which could be toxic”, then also
pointed out that to actually convict someone of possession that the prosecution must prove
that the subject knew the mushrooms were hallucinogenic
(due to a 1976 Florida Supreme Court Ruling: Fiske Vs State of Florida).

This just demonstrates the absurdity of this whole situation. If the person who picks psilocybes,
knows they are the right mushrooms, (the one who will get prosecuted) then where is
the danger? If the person doesn’t know what they are picking, then they can wind up
dead, but the state can’t prosecute them.
Sounds like a thought crime scenario. Remember “Big Brother” and “Farenheight 451”?

The website, goes into explicit detail on how to correctly identify psilocybe
mushrooms, therefore not only does it suggest possible locations but assures that
someone with ordinary intelligence would not eat the wrong kind. Psilocybin and
Psilocin, both contained in the Psilocybe Cubensis mushroom are of very low
toxicity making it impossible to ingest a fatal quantity, and they also cause no
lasting effects or flashbacks. A quick perusal of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s
information will tell you this.

Psilocybes have been used for thousands of years in
religious ceremony and in recent times as a mental illness and addiction treatment.
Although there are yet mysteries to be explained by the interaction of these substances
on the body, there are only two reported deaths in thousands of years of use.

The mushrooms naturally occur in grassy areas frequented by multi chamber stomached
mammals. They are not dangerous “street” drugs and are not produced in a laboratory
or bought on the street.

It seems to me that the Indian River County police should find
something more worthwhile to do with their time. Like stopping burglaries, Break ins,
and the selling of Dangerous drugs like crack cocaine and meth Amphetamines. And if they
have enough time to wait by the side of a cow field to try and stop a few teenagers
from doing what thousands of teens and young adults have been doing for decades,
without serious deleterious effect, then perhaps we don’t need as many police on
our payroll. And we could all use a break in our taxes.

Sincerely,
Scott Bledsoe
457 Fox Lane
Orange Park, FL 32073