Identifying Poisonous Shrooms in Utah After Recent Death Report

A person in Utah died after they consumed what they thought were psychedelic mushrooms. 

The person reportedly bought the shrooms on the street believing they had hallucinogenic effects, but they were fatally toxic. 

Our news partners with ABC4 Utah gave tips on how to avoid this kind of situation through an article written by Trevor Myers. 

Myers wrote, “Aimee Nguyen, the president of the nonprofit organization Mushroom Society of Utah, told ABC4.com that, while there isn’t much advice for buying mushrooms from other people — ‘aside from not to do it,’ she said — there are some precautions to take before eating wild mushrooms.” 

Nguyen then provided some suggestions when going about eating some of the risky fungi. 

Myers wrote, “Nguyen said the first step when considering eating unknown mushrooms would be to evaluate the mushroom and its habitat, as well as the mushroom’s spore print. She also encouraged consulting literature about mushrooms specific to your location, including region-specific books and websites like MushroomExpert.com.” 

Some of the symptoms the person experienced when they consumed the toxic shrooms include nausea, diarrhea, and liver failure.  

Myers wrote, “Officials with the Utah Poison Control Center said psychedelic mushrooms don’t cause liver damage. The Poison Control Center also said it is ‘highly unusual’ for hepatotoxic mushrooms to be confused with psychedelic mushrooms. Nguyen encouraged people to ‘get as many identification options’ as they can for their mushrooms.” 

This begs the question, are there any poisonous mushrooms native to the state of Utah? The answer is yes. 

Myers wrote, “The Poison Control Center said several mushroom species contain the toxins that were believed to be linked to the death of the individual, and one of those species — Galerina — is known to grow in Utah. Bryn Dentinger, an associate professor in the plant biology department at the University of Utah, previously told ABC4.com that Galerina mushrooms could have the same poisonous effects as some of the deadliest mushrooms in the world.” 

It may be wise to just avoid the wild mushrooms entirely as it could be a life-ending choice. It’s highly recommended to not take psychedelic mushrooms, but if you really have to, please be as cautious as possible to avoid the most fatal of symptoms.