Hey everyone, it’s Ryan.

I know many of you are patiently waiting for Episode 6 of A Morel Dilemma, and it is coming next week. I genuinely cannot wait for you to hear this one.

But it is actually available right now for supporter members. You can go to www.thepoisonlab.com/support and get every single episode right now for as little as $1 a month. And full disclosure, I only get about half of that. It does not go to profit. It just helps repay some of the very real costs of making this show: the interviews, editing, sound design, hosting, and the absurd amount of time that went into producing it.

So if you have been enjoying the series, becoming a supporter is an incredible way to help make work like this possible. And if you are already supporting the show, thank you. Truly. It helps more than you know. And for everyone else listening, thank you for being here and for sharing the series.

But for today, I wanted to give everyone a small glimpse into the supporter bonus episodes that have been available to members throughout the series. See the episode here

https://the-poison-lab.captivate.fm/episode/a-morel-dilemma-preview-supporting-member-bonus-episodes

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Join as a supporting member

• Ad free episodes
• Bonus content and early access
• Discounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game

The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game!

The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book!

• Full book reading (6 minutes!)

Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!)

• Email: Toxtalk1@gmail.com

More Show Resources

• Ryan's Medical Games and Resources
• Show Website

This preview features the opening conversations from two supporting member bonus episodes in The Poison Lab outbreak series.

First, we head to Ontario, where a mass aconite poisoning unfolded after a restaurant spice was contaminated with one of the most dangerous plant toxins in the world. Then we travel to Australia, where the poppy seed supply was contaminated with thebaine, triggering seizures and severe poisonings across the country.

These are the kinds of outbreak stories that show how quickly a routine exposure can become a public health emergency, and how clinicians, poison centers, laboratories, and public health teams work together to figure out what went wrong.

In this bonus episode of A Morel Dilemma, Ryan shares his recent interview on WTMJ Conversations with Libby Collins.

The conversation goes behind the scenes of the series and explores why Ryan spent two years investigating the 2023 Bozeman, Montana morel mushroom outbreak, one of the strangest poisoning outbreaks in recent history. Ryan discusses how the outbreak challenged long-held assumptions about morels, why mushroom poisonings are not all the same, and how public health investigators work through uncertainty when people become seriously ill from a shared exposure.

The episode also covers mushroom foraging safety, the difference between true and false morels, why raw or undercooked morels can be dangerous, and what Wisconsin poison center toxicologists commonly see during mushroom season. Ryan also talks about broader poisoning outbreaks, including vape-associated lung injury, contaminated synthetic cannabinoids, pediatric exploratory ingestions, THC edibles, and other toxicology problems that show up far more often than mushrooms.

This is a good episode for anyone who wants a more conversational introduction to A Morel Dilemma, the public health stakes behind poisoning outbreaks, and the strange world of mushroom toxicology.

Topics covered include:

• Why foraging is becoming more popular
• Why you should never eat a mushroom unless you are 100% sure of its identification
• True morels vs. false morels
• Why morels should never be eaten raw or undercooked
• The Bozeman morel mushroom outbreak
• How investigators think through foodborne poisoning mysteries
• Mushroom poisonings seen by poison centers in Wisconsin
• Death caps, destroying angels, and amatoxin poisoning
• Pediatric poisoning risks, including laundry pods, THC edibles, and household chemicals
• Why poisoning outbreaks are difficult to recognize and investigate
• What A Morel Dilemma is really trying to uncover

You can learn more about the series at ThePoisonLab.com or TheMorelDilemma.com.

Review the show where ever your listening

Get Messages from Toxo (Join the Newsletter!)

Join as a supporting member

• Ad free episodes
• Bonus content and early access
• Discounts and give aways on GOTA PICCEM Mushroom card game

The GOTTA PICCEM Poisonous Mushroom Game!

The Poisonus Fungus Amongus Children's Book!

• Full book reading (6 minutes!)

Tox trinkets (Rep the show at home!)

• Email: Toxtalk1@gmail.com

More Show Resources

• Ryan's Medical Games and Resources
• Show Website