Fayetteville school officials are sending information to parents of students in 6-12 warning of the dangers of jimson weed after five students ingested the poisonous plant at school yesterday. Three of them required hospitalization; two were in intensive care. School spokesman Alan T. Wilbourn said all are improving today.

Wilbourn did not give the ages of the students or say which school they attended. He said teachers would be “extra vigilant” to guard against a repeat of the incident.

Advertisement

The phone message going out to parents gives background on the plant.

According to the National Institutes of Health, jimson weed is a poisonous plant that grows throughout the U.S. Jimson weed poisoning occurs when someone sucks the juice or eats the seeds from this plant. You can also be poisoned by drinking tea made from the leaves. Its street names are thornapple, stinkweed and locoweed. It is most often used by young people who are unfamiliar with its reputation and unprepared for its side effects, which include dry mouth, dilated pupils, high temperature, blurred vision, confusion, euphoria, and delirium. In some cases, it can be fatal.

Advertisement

Invest in the future of great journalism in Arkansas

Join the ranks of the 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts who know that the Arkansas Times is the go-to source for tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, our progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock has been on the front lines of the fight for truth, and with your support, we can do even more. By subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers and expand our coverage. Don't miss out on the opportunity to make a difference with your subscription or donation to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article The Great Bookstore Protest Next article Flu-be-gone