DRUG OVERDOSES MERIT ATTENTION

The fact that three young people in a small community like Lake Country
have ended up in hospital from ingesting datura is certainly cause for alarm.

And it was the right call for Lake Country RCMP to alert the public to the
danger of ingesting the seeds.

Some might say that publicizing the use of the legal substance is risking
glamourizing it for some young minds, or worse, introducing the idea for
others.

However, it's a community safety issue that youth and parents alike need to
know more about.

Police say deaths have resulted from ingesting the seeds in the past, and
increased usage among local young people increases the odds of just such a
tragic consequence.

Apparently ingesting the seeds from the jimson weed plant can lead to
hallucinations and confusion resulting in people becoming vulnerable to
drowning or exposure.

Parents need to sit down and have a frank and open discussion on the
possible consequences of ingesting datura with their teenagers.

The police have sounded the alarm, it is now up to the community to follow
through with the appropriate safety drill.