TOXIC WEED POISONS FIVE YOUTHS

Officials warn others of danger

At least five local youths have landed in an emergency ward with
hallucinations and psychotic episodes after chewing the seeds of a wild
weed.

St. Joseph's Hospital officials said some of the youths had such severe
seizures from eating jimson weed seeds, they were restrained to prevent
self-inflicted wounds. The youths were treated and released late last week.

``These patients were psychotic, they had rapid heartbeats and the episodes
lasted about 24 hours,'' said Hugh Greenwood, a spokesman for St. Joseph's.
None of the city's other four hospitals have had any recent cases.

Police and health officials are warning young people to stay away from the
plant and its toxic high.

In 1994, 10 teens were hospitalized after eating jimson weed seeds in
Hamilton. In 1995, there were three cases. Vicki Woodcox, a public health
nurse, said the department isn't aware of any cases since then.

Dr. Michael McGuigan, director of the poison control centre at Toronto's
Hospital for Sick Children, said eating too much of the seed can lead to
coma, seizures and even death. Even a teaspoon can cause an overdose.

McGuigan said treatment usually requires medication. Symptoms can include
dryness of the mouth, dilated pupils, shortness of breath, rapid heart
beat, restlessness and confusion.

Jimson weed is also called stinkweed, angel's trumpet, or gypsy weed. The
plant has a green, burr-covered pod which contains the seeds.

John O'Neill, a social worker at St. Joseph's, said the plant is dangerous.
``Each person would have a different experience. It makes you experience
visual and auditory hallucinations. (People who eat the seeds) are not
competent to take care of themselves. They break from reality. It's a sad
situation.''

Ron Taggart, 48, of Burlington Street East, said two teenaged sons of his
friends got high last weekend after eating some seeds they got from some
buddies. Taggart said the parents monitored their sons until the next day
and they were OK, but he'd heard of some other teenagers who weren't so
lucky and required hospitalization.

``Where they got it, I don't know. This stuff is just floating around.''

Jim Pringle, a taxonomist at the Royal Botanical Gardens, said that's part
of the problem. Jimson weed, native to South America, was likely introduced
to North America in the last century as an ornamental plant. Since then,
the annual has been reseeding in open fields or ``anywhere garden refuse
would be dumped.''

Regional police Detective Sergeant Greg Hamilton of the vice and drug unit,
said he had never heard of jimson weed until last week, but will meet with
various stakeholders in the community to determine the best way to warn
parents about the weed.

Hamilton said officials don't want to trigger interest in the hallucinogen.

``It's one of those things, you're darned if you do (warn people), and
you're darned if you don't.''