If the company Diamond Shruumz sounds familiar, it should. In June the company drew regulators’ attention when it recalled its Infused Cones, Chocolate Bars, and Gummies, both Micro- and Mega/Extreme-Dose.
Infused, you ask? Infused with what?
Regulators say the products in question contain Muscimol, which, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a potent psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms.
At the time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Muscimol could be a potential cause of symptoms consistent with those observed in persons, including children, who became ill after eating Diamond Shruumz products.
Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has completed an investigation of other Diamond Shruumz products and found that some of the gummy products contain an “illegal controlled substance.”
Marketed as improvements to cognitive function
“Gummies listing the hallucinogenic mushroom Amanita muscaria or other unnamed mushrooms as ingredients have been marketed as “nootropics” (substances taken to enhance cognitive function),” the CDC said in its report from the field. “A. muscaria can cause hallucinations, agitation, gastrointestinal upset, and seizures.”
The CDC found that from September 2023 to June 2024, five persons required hospital evaluation after ingesting gummies labeled to contain A. muscaria. Five brands of gummies marketed as mushroom-containing nootropics were analyzed. The CDC said three contained unlabeled Drug Enforcement Administration schedule I substances psilocybin and psilocin.
Hallucinogenic drug
In other words, it appears a hallucinogenic drug is being sold over-the-counter.
“Health care providers and the public should be aware that edible products marketed as mushroom-containing nootropics might contain undisclosed ingredients and have been linked to severe illness,” CDC said. “Persons who experience symptoms after consuming these products should seek immediate medical attention.”
The FDA first sounded the alarm about the recalled infused treats after eight people in four states got sick after eating them. As of last week, the FDA said 69 people in 28 states had gotten sick from eating the cones and chocolate bars. At least one death may be linked to the treats.