Skip to main content

Tammy McAllister/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Parents, are you monitoring your stash of nutmeg?

Poison control centres in the U.S. have been receiving calls about children using the spice to get high, and they're now issuing warnings about YouTube and other online videos that show people how to smoke and snort it, CNN reports. As these instructional videos have gone viral, the news network asks: "Is nutmeg the new 'it' drug?"

Vomiting and severe headaches are a sign of nutmeg abuse, Tami Scarcella, an interventionist with the drug and rehabilitation service A Better Tomorrow, tells CNN.

"The side effects are horrible with doing this," she says, adding that parents should keep a close eye on their spice racks.

Of course, there's nothing new about using common kitchen ingredients to get loopy. We all know about aerosol whipped cream canisters and alcohol-based vanilla extract. But come on, do we really need to keep our kitchens locked down?

Tell us what you think in the comment field below.

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Interact with The Globe