“I would have loved to serve Shambala, but it just turned into champagne – which, by the way, can also lead to crazy things if you take it too much”, Giel opens the first episode of his new podcast, which he makes weekly together with singer and presenter Nance Coolen and presenter for Omroep MAX & NPO Radio 5 and old Idolsjury member Henkjan Smits.
Earlier this week, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) decided to get the drink off the shelves because the ingredients may pose a health risk. Users can suffer from, among other things, hallucinations and paralysis, the authority reported earlier this week after an investigation. In a more serious tone, the radio maker continues: “I thought: let me name it for God’s sake, it is… Off the Record and in Off the Record let’s discuss everything off the record.”
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A report about Shambala was received at the National Poisons Information Center (NVIC). after which the NVWA launched an investigation. The drug was featured in the consumer program in October Radar. Food experts and a pharmacologist criticized the mixture, and Giel, who marketed the drink with the intention of helping others, also spoke. At the time, he was unable to clarify the exact proportion of the ingredients in the drink.
“Now the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, an authority, so I won’t say anything against that, has decided that it is not allowed. That it is dangerous if you take it a lot”, Giel responds, and then quickly closes the subject : “Again: it’s ready. We have champagne, cheers.”
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Shambala and a similar drug called OPEN UP contain harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine. When exposed to higher doses of these substances, nausea, vomiting and more serious effects such as hallucinations, incoordination, disturbed vision and paralysis may occur.
Even single use in a dosage as stated on the package can be harmful to the central nervous system and can lead to pupil dilation, salivation or low blood pressure. John van den Heuvel was already critical about the drug in RTL Boulevard:
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