Jun 17, 2009 7:30 am US/Eastern
Teens Scooping Up Flower Seeds To Get High
DRACUT (WBZ) ―
What's the story with the morning glories? That's what employees at Almo's Flower and Garden Center in Dracut were wondering when middle school kids repeatedly bought packets of morning glory seeds.
VANISHING FROM SHELVES
"Sometimes schools are having projects with kids growing seeds, so at first you're not questioning it, but then you see the same kids coming in a second time on their bicycles getting morning glory seeds," says manager Andre Daigle.
He did some research and discovered the seeds, when eaten, cause hallucinations similar to LSD. Daigle notified police, who found out that's exactly why Almo's seed packets were selling out so fast.
"We have to inform the parents so that we know what the kids are taking," said Daigle.
THE DANGERS
Police sent out a warning letter to all of Dracut's flower shops warning of the dangers. The drug is known to cause memory loss, psychological impairment. In addition, kids have reported getting sick to their stomach. On the West Coast, children have reportedly been rushed to emergency rooms to get their stomachs pumped.
"They're hallucinating for 6 hours," says Daigle. "Also, they're coated with a pesticide, so they're also poisoning themselves that way."
TAKING PRECAUTIONS
Almo's has now mounted a sign above the seed display saying customers must be 18-years-old or with an adult to buy morning glory seeds.
Under federal law, the seeds are classified as a narcotic, but not under Massachusetts law. That means police can do little more than educate and warn parents.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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