POSTED IN alt.forestry

Also participating in the symposium was Richard Triska, an Albany
criminal lawyer who explored the legality of mushroom experimentation
regarding the psychoactie varieties, such as psilocybin.
Triska said that there are all kinds of state and federal laws
affecting the possession and use of psychoactive drugs.
"But I'll give you odds that not one of those legislators knew that
some of the substances they were outlawing grew readily on their front
lawns," he said.
Next July 1, Oregon will adopt the Federal Uniform Control Substances
Act. At this time, it follows the Uniform Narcotics Act, which has the
psychoactive mushroom psilocybin on its list of prohibited substances.
Thast law, however, is founded on the Interstate Commerce Act, which
says you can't transport a controlled substance across state lines,
"which means that if you have psilocybin mushrooms in your field, what
right does the government have stepping in as long as you odn't
transport those mushrooms," said Triska.
Under the new law, a farmer who has psilocybin in his field
technically would be in violation of the law unless he could prove
that he had no knowledge of its presence, Triska said.
However, Triska said he can't envision law enforcement personnel
running through the fields looking for the magic mushroom and charging
farmers with possession.
"To date there have been no such cases," he said. "Besides, there's a
problem with identification," he said.
"Well, law enforcement officers might become involved with
intoxicatied individuals who do have the psychoactive mushroom in
their possession," said Triska. "But again it comes down to
identification. Is there probable cause for an arrest if the person
appears intoxicated and happens to have a bag of mushrooms in his
possession?"
Triska, who is on the advisory board of the state crime lab, said
he'll be visiting the state lab next week to find out if it has the
necessary materials with which to assay for psilocybin.
"I didn't see any law enforcement officiers at this conference," he
said, although the conference was open to them. "And I don't think
psychoactive mushroom identification figures into the training at the
state police academy, at least not as yet."

It should be part of forestry education- all forestry students should have
to eat psilocybin, while listening to classic idiot right wing forestry
professors rant against preservationists. Better yet, forestry students
should secretly stuff some into the professor's sandwiches while out on a
field trip. Then watch the fun as everyone starts talking to the trees. G