Alert #18
Date: 03/15/2006
Ohio Early Warning Alert
Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities
Morning Glory Seeds
You may have heard of teens sniffing glue, using prescription drugs or even drinking cough syrup to get high. But do you also know that some teens in Ohio are reportedly experimenting with “Morning Glory Seeds.” With our continuing commitment to educate concerned Ohioans about emerging drug trends and use, we issue this alert to raise awareness and prevention efforts.
DESCRIPTION:
The morning glory is one of the most beautiful, flowering vines offering a range of colors from magenta to purples and light blues. Flower sizes vary as well, from giant trumpet-like blooms to more compact models. Flowers only last one day, but they are prolific bloomers. Morning Glory is not a controlled plant in the United States. Live plants and seeds of any variety are legal to buy, sell, or possess.
The little brown seeds of several varieties of Morning Glory (Ipomoea violacea) contain a naturally occurring tryptamine called Lysergic Acid Amide (LSA), which is closely related to LSD. Seeds are ingested orally, and can be eaten whole or the active alkaloids can be extracted. They can be ground and used to prepare a tea; or the active compound can be extracted using solvents. The seeds have also been used as a source of precursors for the synthesis of LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE (LSD).
The most common active varieties of seeds among the morning glory are the Hawaiian baby woodrose, Heavenly Blue, Pearly Gates, and Flying Saucers. Like LSD, LSA acts as a "psychedelic" or "hallucinogen" which can have strong mental effects, however they are only about 5% to 10% as potent as LSD.
Although LSA is a schedule III substance in the United States, Morning Glory seeds and plants are sold at just about every nursery, garden store, or botanical supply store that you can find. There are hundreds of sites on the internet alone where you can buy them. In practice, little hassle is ever given to those who buy and ingest seeds, but extracting the active ingredient puts you in possession of a relatively pure chemical which is illegal to possess.
To discourage morning glory's use as hallucinogenic drugs, some commercial seed producers have started treating seeds with a chemical that will not wash off. This chemical has been known to cause vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain. Seeds are also sometimes treated with Methyl mercury to prevent spoilage. These in themselves are poisonous and can cause liver and neurological damage (to the brain and nerves). Nausea is common even with untreated seeds.
EFFECTS
Onset: Because use is oral, onset of effects are affected by the last food that was ingested. On a relatively empty stomach, onset is about an hour after ingestion, although it can be many hours before peak effects are reached. The seeds produce less anxiety, and less intensity than LSD in normal doses.
Duration: Use of the seeds produce an LSD like experience lasting about 6-10 hours when seeds are taken orally, but with less hallucinogenic effects.
Contraindications
Use of morning glory seeds is unhealthy for any person, especially pregnant women, and people with a history of liver disorders, and hepatitis.
Recommended Action
- Distribute the alert to local nurseries and other outlets where flower seeds are sold. Ask managers to monitor sales of morning glory seeds and contact local authorities if excess in sales are observed. (especially to teens)
- Distribute alert to parents to raise awareness of potential abuse of morning glory seeds.
For additional information on the above alert contact: The Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities, P.O. Box 210109, 2624 Clifton Ave Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0109 Phone # 1-800-788-7254 (opt#2).
Note: We would like to know what you were able to do by way of disseminating this alert information. Please reply with short descriptions of the dissemination (bullet format would be fine) or interesting stories related to this alert.
To participate in this OEWN initiative, visit www.ebasedprevention.org and fill out the OEWN registration form (listserv). Anyone in Ohio can report an issue to the Ohio Early Warning Network by calling the toll-free non-emergency InfoLine at 1-866-OhioEWN.
This alert is brought to you by the Ohio Department of Education, Safe and Drug Free Schools Program; the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addictions Services, Division of Prevention Services; the Ohio National Guard and the Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities
The information appearing on this alert is presented for educational purposes only. While the information published on this site is believed to be accurate, it is not intended to substitute for your own informational gathering or professional medical advice.
