LOCAL HALLUCINOGENIC PLANT HAS DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS

A plant native to Oklahoma has hallucinogenic qualities like LSD but
is not listed as an illegal substance.

The plant is called moon bush or gypsum weed but many students call
it "moon plant," said Brenna Gilchrist, a florist for the Oasis
Garden and Gift Shop.

"The plant grows to about 3 feet and is characterized by its night
blooming flowers and porcupine like round pods," she said.

It is not listed as an illegal substance in the state, but users
could still go to jail because the drug is a hallucinogenic, said Lt.
Mark Shearer, an OSU police officer.

"If we suspect someone of possessing this contraband, we will conduct
a field test on them and the student may be subject to losing
financial aid from OSU," he said.

Bob Harris, a psychology junior, said the alarming thing is that the
plant can grow around children's playgrounds and in small neighborhood creeks.

"There is moon plant that grows in front of my grandmother's house," he said.

Shearer said police have not had to deal with the plant as a problem
like marijuana or any other illegal drug as of yet.

According to http://www.phytomedical.com/plant/datura.asp, the
highest concentration of the drug occurs in the seeds: about 0.1 mg
of atropine per seed. An estimated lethal dose in an adult is more
than 10 mg atropine.

Matt Daniel, a leisure studies junior whose last name was withheld to
protect his identity, said he and two friends experimented with the
plant by consuming the seeds from the pods and experienced several
hallucinations.

"I was the last one to ingest the seeds by putting them on an Arby's
sandwich, and right before it hit me I saw all my friends go crazy,"
he said. "I knew it was going to be my turn soon, and I was terrified."

Daniel said they looked at a sheet hanging over a shelf and saw
different hallucinations.

"I personally thought it was a camp site while my friend Clay thought
it was 'Children of the Corn,' and my other friend thought it was a
dead infant," he said.

Brock Steven, a graphic design and arts senior whose last name also
was withheld, said he and a friend ingested the seeds by grinding
them into a tea.

"Right when it hit us, we became very violent and incoherent," he
said. "My friend threw several beer cans into the washing machine
while I threw soup on the walls sticking bread to it."

Steven also said he saw several hallucinations approach him and sit
right next to him.

"I would see these people appear out of nowhere and I would say,
'Where the hell did you come from?' They would then reply, 'I've been
here the whole time.' I would just say OK, and they would proceed to
talk to me."

Gilchrist said the plant is of the genus Datura and is related to the
angel trumpet plant, but has "ironically taken on the name 'devil
trumpet' because it contains toxic chemicals called alkaloids."

Gilchrist said the plant is mainly used for landscaping and can be
found around homes and businesses in town.

"We sell only about five moon bushes per year because they're not in
high demand," she said. "They only cost $9.99 for a one gallon pot."

Shearer said the plant is probably gaining popularity from cultural
groups in the community.

"We usually see drugs that were popular 10 years ago resurface
because of the melting pot effect that takes place at this
university," he said. "It's not uncommon for people across the globe
to bring an illegal substance into the U.S. for recreational use."

According to Phytomedical's Web site, the range of toxicity is highly
variable and unpredictable; toxicity may vary from leaf to plant and
even from season to season. This contributes to misuse because the
dose cannot be predicted. Hallucinations are reported in up to 83
percent of cases.

Aside from hallucinating, the plant contains very negative side
effects which include: seizures, respiratory arrest and - in some
cases - coma, according to the site.

Daniel said while taking the moon plant the user completely loses his
or her mind and has no self-control.

"One of my friends got lost in a wall and began rubbing his nose
until it started to bleed profusely," he said.

Steven said he got naked shouting nothing but gibberish while his
friend made love to a laundry hamper.

"What was really bad is when I got home and walked in the living room
butt naked in front of my family," he said. "My dad said, 'Brock,
what the hell is wrong with you?' All I could tell him is that I got
my clothes wet in a water balloon fight and had to take them off."

Steven also said when he woke up in the morning he was blind.

"I had to be sent home from work because I couldn't read the jean
sizes to customers," he said. "My eyes were dilated so bad I looked
like a cartoon character."

Daniel also said he was blind for two days and on the third was still
not fully sane.

"I found myself buying mass amounts of batteries at the store for no
apparent reason," he said. "When I got back in the car, I realized my
mind still wasn't all there."

Harris said he has taken "shrooms" before and is terrified to try moon plant.

Daniel said if anyone takes moon plant they must be supervised like a child.

"At all costs, never allow the person to obtain a knife or sharp
object while using it because you will be asking for serious trouble," he said.

Steven said he has no desire to ever try it again and hopes no one
else attempts to.

"I think I should have died that night, but miraculously I survived
somehow," he said. "I strongly recommend that no one try to use it
excessively or at all."