Police are worried teens using the leaves and seeds of a local plant to get high may not realize the potentially fatal effects of the plant.
Rio Rancho police said the seeds are very, very poisonous. They also said teens have been cracking open the plant’s seed pod, getting the seeds out and using them to make teas or grinding it up and smoking it.
The plant is called Jimson Weed, or Moon Flower.
Potential side effects of ingesting the plant are a dramatic rise in body temperature, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure or even a stroke.
Residents are encouraged to talk to kids about the dangers of the Jimson Weed. If someone has ingested the weed, they need medical attention right away.