Kids find new high

Poison centers are placing parents on alert with regard to the potential for teens using gardening seeds to get high.

Officials said seeds for plants like Hawaiian Baby Woodrose, Sleepy Grass and Blue Morning Glory contain the hallucinogenic substance LSA, which is considered to be similar to LSD.

“Ingested seeds can cause auditory and visual hallucinations, spatial or temporal distortion and introspection,” said Jeanie Jaramillo of the Texas Panhandle Poison Center, adding the seeds contain LSA in varied amounts — depending upon where the plant was grown and its harvesting. “It’s possible users will have effects like nausea, vomiting, extreme paranoia and high blood pressure.”

Officials said vision can be impacted while also experiencing dry mouth and inability to release urine. Users have been known to swallow seeds or crush them and then add them to a liquid as a means of ingesting.

The warning serves as a sobering sign of the times, said Clovis resident Ciara Edmonds.

“Some kids are always going to push the envelope and find ways to get their hands on something that gives them a buzz,” she said. “It’s been that way for generations. But when you learn about something as common as garden plant seeds, it really gives you a jolt. They’re inexpensive and easily accessible — so it’s something else to be on the lookout for.”

Portales resident Wade Baker parents a pair of teens.

“When you learn about something like this, you have to wonder what steps can be taken to address the matter,” he said. “Can you regulate it (seeds)? If so, how do you do it without handcuffing those who are truly making purchases for gardening purposes? It’s really more than a notion. It saddens me to know these type of things are happening, but spreading the word about it is key.”