The Latest Fad: Getting High on Nutmeg

If there aren't already enough ways to turn on, tune in, and drop out, kids have discovered a new method-something that's eaten as a part of most Thanksgiving meals. No, not pumpkin pie ... the nutmeg in it.

According to the Washington Post's BlogPost, nutmeg is the newest drug of choice, with kids smoking it for a mild hallucinogenic high. It's not that nutmeg hasn't been used for that purpose before, though.

According to an excerpt taken from "The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Substances" by Richard Rudgley, and posted at MoodFood.com, nutmeg has been used in the past by prison inmates, sailors, musicians and others, who-for whatever reason-were unable to obtain their drug of choice.

And if the news that kids are smoking nutmeg isn't bad enough, KMOV.com in St. Louis reported that YouTube has several videos explaining the step-by-step process-which includes sprinkling the ground nutmeg on paper, rolling it up, and smoking it.

Whatever happened to the days when the worst thing about spices was that they were girl singers? I haven't viewed the YouTube videos, but it's a pretty safe bet that most of them don't mention the side effects that come from doing something as mindless as smoking nutmeg. KMOV News reported that smoking nutmeg could cause headaches, nausea, and heart palpitations, as well as other unpleasant reactions.

In my opinion, there's really no need to lock the spice cabinet unless there is a habitual drug user in the home, and even then, locking up the nutmeg isn't going to help. Kids who want drugs will look for anything they think might work, including hairspray, cooking spray, glue, paint, banana peels, fingernail polish remover, gasoline ... wait, if we're going to overreact, maybe we should just lock up the whole house. That'll work-change the lock on the front door when the kids are out getting high. That would be a lot easier than locking up all the cupboards and closets that contain substances that might prove to be a problem. Face it, if they're so bad off they're trying to smoke nutmeg, it's time for a little tough love.

Sources:

Melissa Bell, "Nutmeg High, Whip Cream Alcohol: Into the Four Loko Void", WashingtonPost.com

"Raiding Kitchen Cabinets for a Nutmeg High", KMOV.com

Richard Rudgley, "The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Substances" excerpt, MoodFoods.com