Devils Weed Addiction and Abuse

Long ago, Devil’s Weed was used for sacramental and ceremonial purposes in the Americas and in India. It is also called Jimson weed, a name derived from the original term ‘Jamestown weed’. The plant got this name due to its widespread use in Virginia in the 17th century. Devil’s weed is very dangerous because you face a real risk of seriously harming yourself as the substance causes you to be far removed from reality.

The most dangerous effect of this substance is the fact that it can be fatal if you take a higher dose than you can handle. Other effects include severe mydriasis (pupil dilation), violent or bizarre behaviour, tachycardia (increased heartrate), hyperthermia, and delirium. These effects can last for days or just between 24 to 48 hours, although some users have claimed their hallucinations lasted over a week.

What Is Devil’s Weed? All You Need to Know

Devil’s weed is considered among the planet’s worst 100 invasive species. It is incredibly invasive in places with higher temperatures but has also become more common in the UK. It negatively affects soil nutrient levels and is toxic to livestock.

It has been associated with severe hallucinations, but it is more of a deliriant than a hallucinogen, which means that it produces an all-encompassing delirium by blocking certain neurotransmitters in the brain. The substance is used entheogenically for its intense visions. It has also been used traditionally as an analgesic during bone setting or surgery, and for relief from asthma symptoms.

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Devil’s Weed Abuse and Addiction Causes

There is no single cause that can be attributed to being responsible for the development of addiction. Rather, addiction is caused by a number of different factors, most of which are beyond your control. For instance, genetics is a factor; one you don’t have control over.

Other factors that may contribute to the development of addiction include psychological, environmental, and biological factors.

How Addiction Develops

Addiction may develop at a different rate for you than it does for someone else. While you may develop a chemical dependency after using the substance only once or twice, someone else might be able to walk away from it after a few uses.

Addiction can develop over time if you persist in abusing the same substance, especially when you do it often and in high doses.

Addictive Properties of Devil’s Weed

Compared to other hallucinogens, devil’s weed is not extremely addictive. The reason for this is most people who use it the first time never want to try it a second time due to what they experienced. While it is considered to be mildly addictive, it’s potential for causing adverse side effects, like psychosis, is high.

Psychological dependence may develop before physical dependence, possibly with feelings of anger and irritability when you are not using.

Methods of Use

There are various ways in which devil’s weed may be taken, including by smoking and ingesting it orally, among other methods. Different parts of the weed can also be used, such as the leaves, the roots, and the seeds.

To induce intoxication, and reduce the effects of asthma, the leaves are smoked. The flowers and seeds may be boiled into tea; and for cultic purposes, natives use the roots and seeds.

Devil’s Weed Abuse & Addiction Signs, Effects & Symptoms

There are several signs and symptoms that may arise from devils weed abuse and addiction, but they hardly ever occur all at once. However, the higher the dose you ingest, the more likely it is you will experience adverse effects.

Some of the possible toxic effects include breathing problems, loss of consciousness, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, extreme thirst, and vision problems.

Devil’s Weed Abuse

The tropane alkaloids contained in the flowers and seeds of devil’s weed are hallucinogenic and are what makes the plant so attractive for abuse. However, abuse is dangerous because the substance is hazardous enough to also be used as a poison.

Recreational use of the drug has resulted in death and/or serious illness, especially when used by children.

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Signs and Symptoms of Devil’s Weed Abuse

It is nearly impossible to hide the effects of this substance once you have ingested it, depending on the dose. Typically, intoxication results in delirium, bizarre or violent behaviour, painful photophobia, hyperthermia, and tachycardia.

If you see a loved one acting differently, and seemingly unable to differentiate between reality and fantasy, you should be suspicious, especially if the symptoms last for a day or two and maybe even longer.

Physical, Emotional, and Social Effects of Devil’s Weed Abuse

The physical effects of ingesting this plant are incredibly uncomfortable and may even be worse than the emotional effects. They may include difficulty breathing, dehydration, constipation, abnormal heartbeat, and a perception of bodily heaviness, among others.

The emotional effects may include feelings of impending doom, depression, depersonalisation, delusions, delirium, paranoia, and confusion. The effects may impact on your relationship with other people, who see you acting bizarrely, especially if they don’t approve of drug use.

Long Term Devil’s Weed Abuse Effects

Using devil’s weed comes with the danger of severe side effects, such as death or hospitalisation. There is little information on the long-term effects of abuse because most people don’t attempt to use it again after their first try.

Among the effects of the substance are psychosis and delirium, which can lead to severe cognitive problems if you persistently use it. There is also always the risk of addiction.

Short Term Devil’s Weed Abuse Effects

There are several short-term effects of abusing devil’s weed, including physical effects like difficulty breathing, dehydration, constipation, abnormal heartbeat, difficulty urinating, muscle cramps, seizures, loss of motor control, increased body temperature, and high blood pressure.

Other short-term effects that you may experience include internal and external hallucinations, feelings of impending doom, extreme paranoia, delusions, delirium, and confusion.

Devil’s Weed Addiction Treatment

If a friend or loved one suffers from devil’s weed poisoning, they may need to be hospitalised due to their confused mental state and agitated behaviour. Professional management is necessary in order to prevent them from causing harm to themselves or to others.

The first stage of treatment is detoxification, during which the toxins of the substance are flushed out of your system. After detox comes therapy, which helps take care of psychological dependence.

Detoxing from Devil’s Weed

Detox refers to the process by which the drug toxins leave your body. When dealing with a substance as dangerous as devil’s weed, medical assistance becomes necessary. The use of activated charcoal and gastric lavage may be an option for reducing the absorption of the substance in the stomach.

Benzodiazepines may be administered to take care of agitation, and you may be given physostigmine to reverse the poison’s effects.

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Treatment and Therapies for Devil’s Weed Abuse and Addiction

Detoxification is a crucial first stage of treatment for devil’s weed abuse and addiction. It is important because the weed is dangerous and can lead to death if the levels of toxicity in the body are too high.

Once you have gone through detox and have been stabilised, therapy may follow, to help take care of the symptoms of psychological dependence.

Cost of Treatment

Treating devil’s weed abuse and addiction can be costly, especially if you have to be hospitalised or undergo treatment in an inpatient treatment facility, which is the most likely outcome. One of the most popular options for paying for treatment is insurance, but there are other options if you don’t have health insurance.

One of the other options available to you, in the absence of health insurance, is borrowing money from close family and friends. You might also want to try free or low-cost options made available by the government and non-profit organisations.

Treatment Success Rate

Higher success rates have been associated with longer durations of addiction treatment. In addition to longer stays in treatment, continuing care has also been found to increase the likelihood of successful treatment.

Different studies have arrived at the same conclusion, even if they differ on what might be considered the correct duration of stay in treatment.

Get Clean and Stop Your Devil’s Weed Abuse Today

Devil’s weed is an extremely dangerous substance that can lead to death or severe illness if a wrong dose is taken. Even if you are exceedingly careful about how much of it you take, there is always the risk of addiction.

Getting addicted to devil’s weed is not a risk worth taking, because it can lead to devastating effects on your health and safety.

Repairing the Damage

Whatever damage has already been done may not be completely reversible, but it is possible to heal. In order for that to happen, you need to commit to quitting, as well as to the process of long-term recovery.

It starts with recognising and admitting the danger of persisting in substance abuse to yourself. Once you can do that, the rest will follow more easily.

Get Help Today

With a drug as dangerous as devil’s weed, it is best to avoid delay as much as possible and seek help as soon as you can. You can get in touch with a local centre for drug abuse and addiction matters, or turn to an online addiction helpline.

Whatever you choose to do, be sure to get help today because time is of the essence. Please seek professional help before more damage is done.

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Facts and Figures About Devil’s Weed Addiction and Abuse

Devil’s weed is widely abused, but addiction is rare because most people have no interest in trying the drug a second time after having a bad experience on the first try. However, that does not mean addiction does not occur.

Every year, thousands of people are hospitalised and hundreds die from the effects of this substance. It often grows in the wild and may even pop up in your garden.

Prevalence of Abuse in the world, UK

Statistics from 2015 had the number of people who used drugs at about a quarter of a billion, and 29.5 million of them suffered some form of drug use disorder. In 2015/2016, 8.4 percent of individuals between the ages of 16 and 59 in England and Wales had used a drug in the last year.

In 2015 alone, England and Wales saw 2,479 drug misuse-related deaths and those were only those that were reported.


What is Devil’s Weed?

Devil’s weed is the plant datura stramonium, which belongs to the nightshade family. While it is thought of as being originally from Mexico, it now occurs naturally in many other parts of the world, including the UK.

While it has been used traditionally as an analgesic and for asthma relief, it is also used for its powerful deliriant and hallucinogenic properties, but can be dangerous if used carelessly.

Are there other names for Devil’s Weed?

Yes, there are other names for devil’s weed, including datura, thorn-apple, stramoine, mad-apple, locoweed, jamestown weed, devil’s trumpet, devil’s apple, chasse-taupe, angel tulip, stinkwort, peru-apple and stinkweed, among many others.

Is there a safe amount?

Yes, but it is only persons who have experience administering the substance for medicinal purposes who can be trusted to apply a safe dosage. Even then, one must take caution.

Is Devil’s Weed really that bad?

Yes, devil’s weed is that bad when used carelessly. While there are some benefits to using the substance in safe doses, the chances of using a toxic amount remain high, especially if you are new to it.

It is so dangerous that it can lead to death or hospitalisation if you are not extremely careful about the dosage.

How does Devil’s Weed Affect Users?

The primary effect that devil’s weed has on users is hallucinations and delirium, however, there are other possible ways it can affect you. There is no way to tell exactly how you will be affected, but there have been reports of reduced vision, and even blindness, for up to 3 days after using the drug.

In addition to making you act bizarrely, you may also act violently and would be unable to remember what you did after the effects have worn off.

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