FAYETTEVILLE — Two of three Fayetteville High School students were released from the hospital Tuesday after they and two others ingested a poisonous plant known as jimson weed Monday.

“The student who’s still being held is doing much better from what I hear,” said Alan Wilbourn, spokesman for the Fayetteville School District. “We still don’t know wherethey got it or when they ingested it. It’s an ongoing investigation.”

Wilbourn said the students had an elevated heart rate and high fever during school Monday. They were transported by Central EMS to Washington Regional Medical Center where three of the fi ve students were treated overnight.

Two students were initially placed in the hospital’s intensive care unit, but were later transferred to cardiac care. As of Wednesday, only one student was still being treated.

Wilbourn notified all parents of the situation by a text message Tuesday, urging them to warn children about the dangers associated with jimson weed - a poisonous plant that grows throughout the U.S.

According to the National Institutes of Health, jimson weed poisoning occurs when someone sucks the juice, eats the seeds from the plant or drinks tea made from its leaves. The plant is most often ingested by young people who areunfamiliar 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. Common names for jimson weed include thornapple, stinkweed and locoweed.

“It does create some delirium and hallucinations,” Wilbourn said.

Though jimson weed is not illegal, Wilbourn said all fi ve students may face disciplinary action.

News, Pages 1 on 11/05/2009

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