Angel's Trumpet

A plant which grows wild across several states in America is dangerous to ingest, yet kids are eating it up because the flowers and seeds produce hallucinations. Angel's Trumpet grows wild in California, as well as Rhode Island (clear across the country on the East Coast) and many places in-between. The flower resembles an upside-down trumpet and displays in many colors, but make no mistake: Angel's Trumpet is poisonous. It is related to Jimson Weed, another poisonous plant which is said to produce hallucinations.

Ingesting Angel's Trumpet does produce hallucinations - "at toxic levels," according to one expert - and, according to users, a sense of calm and even slight euphoria, but it also sends people to the hospital! Authorities say the practice is becoming more widespread and warn those with Angel's Trumpet to cut the plant, or at least deflower it to a height most people cannot easily reach.

Pharmacologist, David Nicholls of Purdue University warns, "Drugs like LSD or marijuana will never kill you. But angel's trumpet can."

© C Harris Lynn, 2010