The Standard (UK) reports of an interesting festival going on until October 20 in London’s Royal Botanical Gardens.

Re-blogged from the London Evening Standard:

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are inviting Londoners try “unusual plants” and explore mind-altering drugs.

Visitors will be able to sample different substances as part of the centre’s Intoxication Season, which runs until October 20.

According to Kew’s website the experience, which will also feature workshops and tours exploring the mind-altering substances and history of drugs, will focus on alcohol, cannabis, and magic mushrooms.

Kew will host experts in the field who promise to examine the science behind various intoxicants. Guest speakers include controversial former government advisor Professor David Nutt, who was dismissed in 2009 over comments suggesting that ecstasy was no more dangerous than an addiction to horse riding.

Kew says the festival aims to deliver thought-provoking content on substances and mind-altering plants but will in no way condone the use of illegal drugs.

Founded in 1840, Kew is home to the the world’s largest collection of living plants. In 2003, the gardens were put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

For more information visit www.kew.org

Magic mushrooms: while exploring the uses and history of some banned substances, Intoxication Season will not encourage illegal drug taking

The Nutt Case is an interesting one. Professor David Nutt was fired forced to resign in 2009 for saying that Ecstasy is not harmful or addictive.

Professor Nutt’s Drug Harm Rankings