“The effects of these substances, specialists claim, are similar to those of psychoactive drugs. They affect the human brain directly, creating states of confusion such as identity loss, hallucinations and diminished attention. Side effects include strong headaches, nausea, confusion and severe panic attacks.”

This new bill only allows specialised institutions to own such plants, only in small amounts, for use in therapy or as measurement units for identifying narcotics. Sellers were given ten days to destroy the products they have in stock. The government order specifies that selling, owning, transporting, buying and growing hallucinogenic plants is a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment, ranging from 6 months for consuming low-risk drugs to 20 years for selling high-risk drugs. Ethno-botanical plants were sold by so-called spice shops in Bucharest and other major Romanian cities.

According to the media, these shops have suspended their operation, but assured loyal customers, generally between 25 and 30 years of age, that they will not shut down. During their time as legal businesses, spice shops are presumed to have made considerable profits, given that one dose costs between 12 and 40 euros. Information leaflets enclosed in the packages of most such products read, “not recommended for human use”. One seller, however, told the media that these plants are not harmful, unless injected into the body or combined with alcohol. The alleged good they do is that QUOTE “they make you see reality in a different way” UNQUOTE. The press ironically noted that this is actually what a hallucination means.