A British male tourist died in Chiang Mai, Thailand after consuming psychedelic mushrooms; authorities have arrested a vendor selling these mushrooms.
According to the Nation, on the 24th, Chiang Mai police and public health officials used a foreigner as an undercover agent to purchase a bag of mushrooms for 500 baht from a shop on Tha Phae Gate Road in Chiang Mai province. Law enforcement immediately raided the shop and arrested the owner.
The shop owner, named Paul, is facing multiple charges, including unauthorized possession and sale of category 5 narcotics. The police seized a large quantity of Psilocybe cubensis, commonly known as psychedelic mushrooms, from his store.
According to reports, category 5 narcotics include cannabis, kratom, opium, and cannabis plants with THC content exceeding 0.2% by weight.
The 20-year-old British tourist, Akhil, was visiting Chiang Mai with his girlfriend. Last Friday (the 20th), Akhil was taking photos at the famous landmark Tha Phae Gate and then purchased psychedelic mushrooms from a nearby shop. He consumed the mushrooms at a luxury resort, and approximately 40 minutes later, he started foaming from the mouth and ultimately died.
Investigations revealed that the psychedelic mushroom content in his body was above the limit. His girlfriend admitted that the psychedelic mushrooms were purchased from Paul's shop.
Consuming psychedelic mushrooms can lead to intoxication, hallucinations, disorientation, and visual distortions. Users may experience symptoms such as paranoia, and overconsumption can cause severe hallucinations, loss of self-control, nausea, vomiting, and even fatal respiratory failure.