In the Catskill Mountains in the USA, four tourists got lost in the forest after eating hallucinogenic mushrooms during a hike. The group lost their car keys and called 911 for help. Rangers and firefighters found the travelers and led them to the trail, writes UNN with reference to Popsci.
Details
In a weekly report, New York forest rangers described a call on August 29 to the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area. This popular area near Woodstock is over 4,200 feet high and is the state's highest peak.
Around 5:00 PM, park rangers received a satellite 911 text message near the Giant Ledge overlook. Later, around 6:45 PM, a team of three rangers contacted a group of four hikers who reported being stuck in the woods after one of them began to "experience a debilitating state of intoxication." The probable cause of the tourists' condition: a snack of hallucinogenic mushrooms
At the scene, the group was met by rescuers along with firefighters from Pine Hill. They helped the travelers get out of the forest to the trailhead, where they were examined by medics. After that, the rangers drove the tourists to a rented house. And the next morning, the team went searching again and found the keys - they were in a sling bag, hidden under a log among thick ferns.
Rangers did not issue any fines
Addition
Approximately 200 species of mushrooms contain at least some amount of the psychedelic compound psilocybin. However, the term "magic mushrooms" usually refers to several potent species of the genus Psilocybe, including P. azurescens, P. semilanceata, and P. cyanescens. Consuming just a few milligrams is enough to induce a range of sensory and perceptual changes, such as visual and auditory hallucinations, euphoria, and a distorted sense of time.
A growing body of evidence suggests that prescribed microdoses of psilocybin may help in the treatment of various problems, such as alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. But while they are not considered addictive or life-threatening, the side effects of mushrooms can include disorientation, paranoia, nausea, and vomiting.