Credits: Social Media
Common US plant almost killed woman with horrific 3-day hallucinations
Americans are only just learning of Jimsonweed, a common plant in the United States that could cause hallucinations, confusion, combative behavior, and in serious cases, death.
The natural world is full of fear-inducing horror shows like the recent tarantula that got infected with cordyceps. Though most deadly plants are found in exotic locations, some like the native cherry laurel can be fatal if handled improperly.
The TikToker was nearly ‘killed’ by Jimsonweed
Datura stramonium, known commonly as Jimsonweed, devil’s trumpet, and thornapple, is a poisonous nightshade originally native to parts of Central America. In recent years, it has been introduced into many world regions including the United States.
TikTok’s Kirsten (@lil_tachy) found this out for herself during a recent trip to her cornfield as she admitted to having a general fear of hallucinogenic plants.
“Every single part of this plant is extremely toxic, and it is also highly hallucinogenic,” she told her followers. “Datura is actually considered to be a deliriant, which is different from other hallucinogens because the hallucinations you get from Datura are not only horrific, but the hallucinations are nearly impossible to distinguish from reality.”
The delirious state can last anywhere from 9 hours to three days, though the effects can be felt up to a week later.
In one horrific case study where a teenager and his friends took Jimsonweed intentionally, doctors found the young man delirious, shaking, mumbling, and erratic hallucinations. He was kept under observation for a whopping 36 hours before being discharged.
Kristen claimed she was almost “killed” by the plant after she had touched and smelled it the previous day without knowing how dangerous it could be. Though you should really be concerned about ingesting it, experts do urge caution when handling as it’s chemicals can irritate the skin.
“Know your plants I guess,” Kristen added, joking.
There is a subsection of TikTok dedicated to Datura
The internet sure does love anything that’s potentially dangerous, and Datura is no different as there are dozens of videos dedicated to recreating what a Datura hallucination looks like. It should go without saying, but you should not be knowingly ingesting Jimson weed, and if you have, seek medical attention.
Panicking, one person admitted: “Why was the next video on my FYP a datura simulation?! I’ve never heard of this plant before 1 minute ago?!? help.”
“Knew a guy who tripped on datura and he had to relearn his ABCs and how to tie his shoes afterward,” another person claimed, while a third said, “This is a cautionary tale on why you should never touch plants you don’t know.”
