Two students and two nonstudents treated for jimson weed poisoning are expected to recover, but the near-death state the men were in Saturday in Akers Hall is cause for concern, police say.
Saturday’s incident was the first time MSU’s Department of Police and Public Safety encountered the hallucinogenic substance, a plant that grows freely around different areas of the country.
Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital also could not locate records of treating jimson weed-related poisonings.
“I’d heard of it, but I didn’t know anything about it,” said MSU police Capt. Dave Trexler. “It’s too early to tell if it’s a large scale problem. This may have been a fluke thing.”
Jasmine Greenamyer, alcohol and other drug educator at MSU’s Olin Health Center, said although the plant is sometimes used in herbal medicines, it is easy to misuse the plant’s parts.
Although the entire plant is toxic, the seeds contain the highest level of poison. Ingestion of the plant or seeds can lead to seizures, coma and death. Users may experience hallucinations, difficulty swallowing, blurred visions and combative behavior. Symptoms can last up to 48 hours because the chemicals in the plant retard the digestive process.
Treatment for jimson weed poisoning includes pumping the patient’s stomach and administering chemicals to absorb contaminants. Although no antidote exists, a mild nerve agent may be used to combat the poison in severe cases.
“There can be no responsible use of the active ingredients of jimson weed other than those controlled by a medical-care provider,” Greenamyer said. “The line between medicinal use and poisoning is very fine.
“You don’t know what you’re getting.”
Because possession of the plant is not illegal in Michigan, the men will not be charged with using an illegal substance. An internal judicial procedure will likely take place, police said.
An officer who was bitten when police tried to restrain two violent members of the group did not sustain serious injuries, but a resisting and obstructing charge will be brought against one of the men.
Frank Telewski, curator of the Beal Botanical Gardens, said it would be too difficult to consider the plant illegal in most areas.
A National Drug Intelligence Center report says the plant is not scheduled to fall under the Controlled Substances Act, but states such as New Jersey, Tennessee and Connecticut have placed individual controls on possessing the substance.
“The feasibility of trying to wipe something out that is out there is pretty tough,” Telewski said. “In terms of plants that are not native, like marijuana or opium poppies, it’s easy to regulate. But in a natural environment it’s not so easy.
“It’s the number one thing your mom told you when you were little - just don’t be stupid and eat this stuff.”
Telewski said the plant grows in waste areas around Michigan and is prized by horticulture experts.
It was made famous years ago in paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe - but its side effects are rarely as pretty as a painting, Telewski said.
“A few seeds can be fatal,” he said. “It’s been used in some cultures, but it’s very unpredictable and very unreliable, especially as a recreational drug.
“This is not something that should be played with.”
