A Dictionary of Dutchness

Paddo

Paddo is the street term for hallucinogenic mushrooms – paddestoelen in Dutch. Although dried magic mushrooms have always fallen under the opium laws and are banned as a hard drug, fresh mushroom sales were only banned in 2008,much to the fury of smartshop (see page 116) owners. The law was tightened up after a string of mushroom related incidents and at least one death involving a tourist.