Jumpin Jimson Weed

The first British settlement in North America was established in 1607 and named Jamestown, after King James i. The little tobacco-growing colony was located on the East Coast, in the region that would eventually become the state of Virginia. One of the constant debates among the Jamestown settlers was whether they should expand the colony. Tobacco growing was a very profitable enterprise, especially since labor was so cheap — the Jamestown settlers had brought the first African slaves to North America. But the settlement was surrounded by unfriendly Indians who would, of course, resist the expansion. 

Among the expansion s greatest advocates was Nathaniel Bacon, a member of the governor s council. In 1676 he took the law Into his own hands and organized an expedition against 

Jimson weed contains the naturally occurring compounds atropine and scopolamine, which can interfere with the activity of the nervous system by blocking the action of a key chemical known as acetylcholine. This interference can produce hallucinations. Ingestion of the plant can also cause dilation of the pupils, blurred vision, rapid heart beat, reduction of salivation, as well as sedation and all of these effects are potentially useful in the practice of medicine. Consequently, by the early 1800s people the world over were buying Jimson weed from their local apothecaries. This included the citizens of Mecca. 

this was New York. Sin City. Drug Metropolis. A localized problem. Right No. Reports of anticholinergic poisoning are on the increase across the United States and Canada. 

Most cases don t involve criminal activity the poisonings can be attributed to the allure of the drug high. Teenagers have discovered that ingesting Jimson weed seeds or drinking tea brewed from the plant can induce a state of euphoria accompanied by hallucinations. A few have also discovered another possible effect of this practice. 

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