On November 22nd, California health officials issued a warning to the public advising against consuming the Mushroom Magic Blend chocolate bars by the PolkaDot brand due to concerns that these chocolate bars may contain psychoactive drugs.
According to a statement from the State Department of Public Health, the PolkaDot chocolate bars were found to contain an unsafe food additive called Amanita muscaria, also known as the red fly agaric mushroom. Furthermore, laboratory tests conducted in California revealed the presence of an additional synthetic psychoactive drug in these chocolate bars.
The chocolate bars in question were sold by PolkaDot Shruumz, a company based in San Diego, to tobacco shops and online retailers for distribution in California and other states. Reports from California indicate that candy worth over $3 million has been seized for disposal and voluntary recall.
The statement emphasized that the responsible company might face further civil or criminal penalties, depending on the investigations conducted by the State Department of Health and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
Each of these problematic chocolate bars weighs 2.1 ounces and comes in various flavors, including Belgian milk chocolate with caramelized peanut, rich dark Belgian milk chocolate, and coconut flavor with Belgian milk chocolate.
Representatives from PolkaDot Shruumz did not respond to requests for comments on November 22nd.
The California Department of Health advised individuals who experience adverse reactions after consuming the chocolate bars to consult their healthcare provider.
The department also recommended that individuals who come across the product being sold should call the hotline at 800-495-3232 or file a report.
In California, possession of magic mushrooms and psychedelic mushrooms is illegal, and possession for personal use in small quantities may lead to misdemeanor fines and imprisonment.
California lawmakers previously attempted to pass a bill in 2023 to legalize certain naturally occurring psychedelic drugs, but it was vetoed by Governor Newsom. The proposed SB58 bill by State Senator Scott Wiener from San Francisco aimed to allow individuals aged 21 and older to possess, transport, or cultivate a specific quantity of psychedelic substances for personal use, such as psilocybin mushrooms.
Governor Newsom stated in his veto message that medical research has shown the therapeutic use of these psychedelics can help “alleviate the suffering of certain patient symptoms, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other addictive personality traits,” but he believed guidelines and regulations should be established before legalization. ◇