It is one of the most common questions in the smartshop: if magic mushrooms are banned, how can you still sell truffles? The short answer is that the law looks at the plant, not the compound inside it. The long answer is a good deal more interesting, and it helps you understand exactly what you are bringing home.
The short answer for those in a hurry
Magic mushrooms are the above-ground mushrooms (the fruiting bodies) of certain fungi. These have been banned in the Netherlands since 2008. Magic truffles are not a mushroom but a hardened underground nodule of the same fungus, a sclerotium. That nodule fell outside the ban and is therefore legally for sale. Same family, different form, different legal status.
Botanically: fruit versus sclerotium
A fungus is much more than the mushroom you see above ground. Beneath the surface sits a network of threads. Under stress, drought for example, that network can form a compact storage nodule: the sclerotium. That is what we call a truffle. So it is not a mushroom, nor a true truffle in the culinary sense, but a survival organ of the fungus. It is precisely this botanical distinction that the entire legal question turns on.
The same active compound, different packaging
Both the mushroom and the nodule can contain psilocybin, the compound your body converts into psilocin. In truffles the content is often somewhat lower and more stable than in dried magic mushrooms, which makes truffles more manageable for many people. That does not mean they are weak. A hefty dose is still a hefty dose. If you want to know how long you will feel things, read how long magic truffles last.
Why magic mushrooms are banned and truffles are not
After a number of incidents, a ban on a long list of mushrooms came into effect in 2008. The sclerotia were not on that list, which is how truffles stayed legal. This is not a loophole someone cleverly dreamed up, but simply how the regulation was written down. For the current state of affairs and reliable, neutral explanation, see the Trimbos Institute and the public information from Drugs Info. We deliberately sell only what is legally allowed, and why we do not sell DMT, for instance, you can read in this piece.
Does legal also mean safe?
Legal and sensible are two different things. Truffles can be intense, and not every moment or every person is suited to them. Do not combine them with certain medications, something we explain in psychedelics and medication, and read when it is better not to buy truffles. A pleasant experience begins with set and setting and with knowing how to prevent and handle a bad trip.
What you can expect from us
If you want to start, choose something gentle. Our Tampanensis and Mexicana are known as accessible for a first time, while varieties like Dragon's Dynamite are made for the more experienced psychonaut. If you are unsure which one suits you, use our guide which magic truffles suit you or take your time browsing the whole truffle category.
Looking elsewhere is fine too
We value honesty more than keeping you in at all costs. If you want to compare prices and varieties, you can also have a look at a large player like Zamnesia. If you come back to us afterwards because you prefer our explanation and personal approach, that is wonderful. If not, at least you have made a well-considered choice.
This article is informational and not medical advice.