ANYTHING TO GET HIGH

Emergency personnel responded to George Elliot Secondary Friday after a
second student suffered the ill effects of ingesting an indigenous seed
known as 'datura.'

The youth was rushed to hospital Friday afternoon and was released Sunday
from KGH. Principal Mike Proch says school staff was in the process of
deciding how to handle this potentially lethal problem Monday.

"We did have a student who came across some seeds. They're legal, but they
do contain hallucinogenic properties. This person was acting peculiar by
being hyperactive and having dilated pupils."

"We had one of our counsellors go with the parents to the hospital on
Saturday," added Proch.

The GESS administrator confirmed another student took some datura seeds and
ended up in hospital Thursday night. So far, according to Lake Country
RCMP, three youths have been hospitalised after eating the seeds.

The datura stamonium plant grows naturally in the Okanagan; it's commonly
known as Jimson weed, thorn apple, locoweed and angel's trumpet. People
have been known to boil the seeds in a tea or eat the berries. The poison
control centre warns chewed seeds can be more toxic than seeds swallowed whole.

Some effects of ingesting the seeds include hallucinations, confusion,
increased heart rate, vomiting, excessive dilation of the pupils, blurred
vision, flushed, hot dry skin, paralysis, coma and respiratory failure.
Those under the influence of the seed may walk into walls and other objects.