The Effects of Eating Morning Glory Seeds

Morning glory flowering vines are a lovely accent to any yard or garden, with flowers ranging from light blue to purple. The most common reason people purchase morning glory seeds is to plant them. But others obtain the seeds to consume--in extremely large quantities--to achieve a "legal high" or a "trip" similar to that of psychedelic drugs such as LSD or "magic" psilocybin mushrooms.

History

• Morning glory flowers have been admired for many centuries. What might not be common knowledge is that the seeds have been known to produce psychoactive effects for just as long. According to an article by Albert Hoffman, the ancient Aztec people venerated the seeds of morning glory, which is a member of the convolvulaceae plant family, as one of their three sacred substances. They called it "ololiuhqui," and the other two sacred substances were "teonanácatl" (psychedelic mushrooms) and "peyotl" (peyote cactus). These psychoactive compounds were used by the priesthood and considered holy. Morning glory seeds do produce some sort of psychoactive effect on the brain, being in the company of two other highly potent hallucinogens.

Features

• According to Ohio's drug abuse prevention website, morning glory seeds contain Lysergic Acid Amine (LSA), a substance somewhat similar to the well-known Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD). This chemical has been used in the laboratory as a precursor to creating the well-known LSD. When eaten or prepared through various forms of extraction, morning glory seeds deliver LSA to the brain and produce definite psychedelic effects.

Effects

• Although similar to LSD, the LSA within morning glory seeds is known to produce fewer and less intense hallucinations than LSD, although the "trip" the user experiences might last from six to 10 hours. Still, depending on how much the user consumes, the effects of morning glory seeds' LSA on the brain can be very intense. Hallucinations and euphoria might occur, also a sense of detachment from reality. While LSA from morning glory seeds is considered milder than LSD sold on the street, there are serious potential dangers to consider.

Considerations

• Although eating morning glory seeds might seem like an "all natural" and legal activity, there are many dangers associated with consuming them. Under the influence of LSA, a person might experience extreme mood changes and possibly become very anxious or uncomfortable. Like all hallucinogenic substances, LSA has the potential to trigger psychotic episodes or "breaks" from reality in someone with a preexisting psychological condition such as schizophrenia. Ohio's EBasedPrevention site also notes many seed manufacturers, aware of morning glory seeds' illicit use, coat morning glory seeds in a chemical that cannot be removed, and can produce nausea and vomiting. There is also the legal consideration. Morning glory seeds, while completely legal to possess in the United States to plant, can get a person in trouble with the law. In extracting LSA--a process often involving filters, volatile ethers and grain alcohol--a person is in possession of a controlled substance that is most illegal in the United States. Possession of LSA might result in fines and/or imprisonment.

Prevention/Solution

• Ingesting LSA through the consumption of morning glory seeds produces pronounced psychoactive effects. Still, eating the seeds for this purpose, or extracting LSA for ingestion, might send the user to the emergency room or mental ward. The U.S. government lists LSA as a Schedule III controlled substance for a reason; it's just not safe to play around with. Education on the subject is important because one must weigh the benefits of any activity against potential risks. In the case of morning glory seeds, given the research available, it's safe to say admiring the flowers is potentially a far more rewarding experience than eating the seeds in order to hallucinate and risk physical or mental distress.

Warning

• If you or someone you observe has consumed morning glory seeds and is experiencing mental or physical trauma, don't waste time, contact the emergency services immediately.