Diamond Shruumz Edibles Tied To More Hospitalizations And Deaths

With the widening legalization of hallucinogens across more and more U.S. states, folks are trying mushroom chocolates and cannabis-infused food as an alternative to alcohol. That can be totally fun and cool if you're ingesting safe, controlled products. Alas, the opposite has been true lately in the ongoing Diamond Shruumz saga, and more concerning information has recently come to light.

Diamond Shruumz products have been available at smoke and vape shops authorized to sell hemp-derived products like cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-8 THC. Earlier this year in June, a kaleidoscope of the brand's microdosing products were pulled from shelves in a mass recall. Authorities identified toxic amounts of muscimol as a culprit. The chemical was implicated in multiple counts of seizures, involuntary muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, confusion, nausea, and abnormal heart rates, per an official report by the Food and Drug Administration. According to subsequent updates provided by FDA, consumption of Diamond Shruumz edibles has been linked to two deaths, 42 hospitalizations, and at least 113 people becoming ill.

Parent company Prophet Premium Blends LLC has issued a recall of all Diamond Shruumz chocolate bars, gummies, and cones, and the CDC is advising consumers to discard any flavor of the brand's products. Any adverse reactions, especially respiratory depression (i.e. difficulty breathing), should be reported and potentially treated with medical attention. Diamond Shruumz edibles are actively under FDA testing, which has uncovered even more harmful compounds.

Muscimol is a psychoactive compound found in Amanita muscaria mushrooms, and it's historically more linked to panic, fear, and delirium compared to some hallucinogenic compounds found in other mushroom strains. It isn't just the muscimol that's been making people sick, either. The FDA has found traces of other potentially harmful chemicals in different Diamond Shruumz products. It detected acetylpsilocin in nine chocolate bars. Another four chocolate bars had psilocin. Three contained pregabalin, and 15 of them tested positive for desmethoxyyangonin, dihydrokavain, and kavain (parts of the kava plant).

Psilocin is a hallucinogenic compound found in psilocybin mushrooms, and acetylpsilocin is a synthetic psilocybin analog (in other words, it's designed to be chemically similar). In low doses, psilocin probably won't pose a serious risk of toxicity, but it's potentially dangerous in large quantities or if consumed alongside other substances. Pregabalin is a prescription drug used to treat epileptic seizures and chronic pain disorders. It slows the brain's ability to transmit pain signals but can cause severe adverse reactions in folks with clinical depression or other mood disorders.

In Diamond Shruumz products, these effects could be complicated by extracts from the kava plant, which is often used to treat anxiety and benzodiazepine withdrawal. Adverse impacts have included liver damage and even death. The FDA is actively gathering more data on the effects of consuming these chemicals alongside each other. The existing body of research is more focused on their individual effects when consumed alone rather.