Pubdate: Wed, 30 Oct 2002
Source: Lake Country Calendar (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Lake Country News
Contact:  http://www.lakecountrynews.net
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2229
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hallucinogens.htm (Hallucinogens)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)

SEED PROBLEM HAS ANTI-DOPING MESSAGE

Incidents involving the hospitalisation of George Elliot Secondary students 
ingesting the indigenous seed datura have scared other students straight.

"I think it scared some people. But I don't know much about it," said a 
Grade 8 GESS student.

"It's probably made people more afraid of taking anything," agreed another 
student who also did not try the seeds, which have hallucinogenic properties.

"I'm terrified of doing any other drugs," said a third student during the 
lunch break.

GESS Principal Mike Proch hopes to use the hospitalised student's 
experiences with the seeds as a way of keeping others from making the same 
mistake. He would like to have the students talk with classes about their 
trip to the hospital so their peers will realise what an unpleasant 
experience eating the seeds can be.

"We want to be pro-active. And we realise it has to happen in a timely 
manner," said Proch.

There is no shortage of rumours circulating about the plant, known as 
datura stamonium, among the student population. "I heard that you can eat 
200 (seeds), but those kids ate 500," said a Grade 8 male.

A Grade 10 male reported he took several hundred seeds and suffered some 
rather negative effects. "I took a few hundred. I felt real dizzy and 
hallucinated. My eyes were blurry and it was hard seeing.

"I'm never taking them again."

His friend, also in Grade 10, took a smaller dose and suffered fewer 
symptoms. "I took about 60 of them. Nothing happened like that. I had a 
dream and when I woke up, I thought it was real. I dreamed there were 
friends over at my home, but when I woke up, nobody was there."

Some students hanging out in the linear park behind the Winfield Shopping 
Centre say the seeds were given to them by other students who professed the 
seeds were similar to magic mushrooms which also grow naturally in British 
Columbia.

But there are other reports of students trying to pedal the dangerous seeds 
to their peers. "They're like little balls in Beasley Park. People were 
bringing them to the skateboard park and trying to sell them," said a Grade 
8 male.

"This girl took some and was digging in people's pockets for her backpack," 
he added.

Datura is also referred to as thorn apple, locoweed, Jimson weed and 
angel's trumpet. Some severe symptoms include increased heart rate, 
vomiting, coma, and respiratory failure.

George Elliot Secondary is part of a drug-free zone. If caught possessing 
illegal drugs within the zone can result in the courts doubling the 
punishment. Datura is not an illegal drug, but both the RCMP and GESS 
administration warn those caught eating or especially selling the seeds 
will be dealt with harshly.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D