10 July 11 - 17, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents ▼ SHROOMS REFRAIN FROM INGESTING DIAMOND SHRUUMZ MUSHROOM EDIBLES SOLD IN TEXAS RECALLED. BY JACOB VAUGHN P rophet Premium Blends, the com- pany behind a line of mushroom edi- bles called Diamond Shruumz, is initiating a recall on all its products after they were linked to 39 cases of illness across 20 states. There have been 23 hospitaliza- tions but no deaths and no cases in Texas, though the products are sold in the state. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning on June 7 about these products after several illnesses and hospital visits were linked to them. The company issued the recall 20 days later. Symptoms included seizures, central ner- vous system depression (loss of conscious- ness, confusion, sleepiness), agitation, abnormal heart rates, hyper/hypotension, nausea and vomiting. In a statement posted on the Diamond Shruumz website, the company said the health and safety of its consumers was a pri- ority above all else. The company said, “Due to consumers becoming ill after consuming the entire chocolate bar and some products containing higher levels of Muscimol than normal, it is crucial that all our consumers re- frain from ingesting this product while we, alongside the FDA, continue our investiga- tion as to what is the cause of the serious ad- verse effects.” The FDA put out a summary of the recall notice on its website on June 28 with some additional information. The agency said the products were being recalled because they contained muscimol, a chemi- cal found in mushrooms of the genus Ama- nita. The muscimol could be causing the reported illnesses, according to the FDA. The company has ceased production and distribution of Diamond Shruumz products and has urged retailers to stop selling the products and contact their sales representative for a return and refund. Prophet Premium Blends also told con- sumers to stop using the product and re- turn it to 1019 Arlington St., Orlando, FL 32805, for a full refund. A few days before the recall, the FDA re- ported that it tested two Diamond Shruumz candy bars and found a hallucinogen called 4-acetoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, other- wise known as 4-ACO-DMT. The chemical has been called “synthetic mushrooms.” There was no mention of this in the compa- ny’s statement. On its website, the company claims its products don’t contain any psychedelic sub- stances. But 4-ACO-DMT is in fact psyche- delic. The main psychoactive compound in real magic mushrooms is psilocybin. Accord- ing to the National Association of Drug Di- version Investigators, a drug diversion training organization in the U.S, both 4-ACO- DMT and psilocybin turn into psilocin when metabolized, which makes people trip. 4-ACO-DMT is unscheduled in the U.S., according to the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, but manufac- turing, distributing or possessing the com- pound for human consumption violates the Federal Analogue Act. This law basically says substances that are “substantially simi- lar” to Schedule I or II substances are treated as if they were listed as Schedule I. After the health agencies’ initial warn- ings about the product, we went to our local health and wellness store to pick up a Dia- mond Shruumz candy bar. The packaging has some interesting disclaimers on it. It says the product may cause hallucinations and that it’s intended to be consumed only in a legal and approved religious ceremony. “Consumption outside of a legal cere- mony may be a violation of the law,” the packaging says. “This product does not con- tain any scheduled substances and is not il- legal to possess.” OK? So, which is it? Are we allowed to have this product or not? Or are we allowed to have it but not consume it? So many un- answered questions, and the company has previously not responded to requests for comment from the media, including the Ob- server. The health agencies, along with America’s Poison Centers and state and lo- cal partners, are continuing their investiga- tion into the Diamond Shruumz products. ▼ CANNABIS HIGHS AND LOWS ALLEN MAY BE TRYING TO SHUT DOWN ITS HEMP SHOPS. BY JACOB VAUGHN A llen hemp shops got another dis- turbing notice from the city that is leaving owners worried for their businesses. In May, the city’s police department warned some hemp shops that they were selling products with illegal levels of delta-9 THC, the main psychoactive component in cannabis that gets users high. As of 2019 in Texas, cannabis with 0.3% delta-9 THC or less is considered legal hemp. Cannabis with more than 0.3% delta-9 THC is con- Jacob Vaughn Diamond Shruumz candy bar has warnings about the company’s products being linked to illness. Unfair Park from p8 >> p12