B.C. STINKWEED SMOKING SPARKS HEALTH WARNING

Some young people in B.C. are smoking a wild weed that's toxic enough to
land them in a hospital bed.

At least one teenage boy was taken to Kelowna General Hospital after smoking
stinkweed, an indigenous plant that grows in the warmer regions of North
America.

He got sick and spent a night in hospital last week.

`Some of this plant is being circulated', said John Waters of the Ministry
of Children and Families. `Some is on the street. We don't know where he
picked it up.'

Ministry staff have contacted the hospital, the RCMP and the medical health
office to warn them stinkweed may be making its way into the young
crowd.Waters said it is a new product authorities need to be aware of.

`If someone comes to KGH with undiagnosed symptoms and it looks like it's
drug-related, this may be something they want to check on,' he said.

Users usually smoke its leaves, but also steep it to make tea.

Last week, health authorities in a region of Ontario also issued a warning
about stinkweed, also known as jimson, locoweed, devil's weed, gypsy weed
and thornapple.

Some students fell ill after ingesting seeds from the weed.

Symptoms include fixed pupils, drowsiness, nervousness, light-headedness,
agitation, confusion and delirium.

`In severely poisoned patients, seizures or comas may occur,' said Ken
Cooper, deputy chief public health inspector in Kelowna. `breathing
decreases, the body usually heats up.'

Stinkweed can be identified by the rank smell when its leaves are crushed.

Checked-by: Don Beck