What is the Datura Drug? Is it Dangerous?

In the world of medicinal plants, Datura stands out—not for its healing potential, but for its deadly reputation. Known by many names, including Jimson weed, thorn apple, and devil’s weed, Datura’s beautiful, trumpet-shaped flowers and its widespread growth across the globe mask its extreme toxicity. 

Datura is often abused by individuals seeking intense hallucinations, as its psychoactive compounds—especially scopolamine and atropine—can induce vivid, dream-like experiences. However, its potency is highly unpredictable, and even small doses can result in severe poisoning, causing confusion, agitation, heart problems, and loss of bodily control. This unpredictability, coupled with its extremely narrow margin between a “high” and a lethal dose, makes datura one of the most dangerous plants abused as a drug.

This article explores the Datura drug, its origins, chemical composition, uses, and most critically—its dangers.

What is Datura?

Datura is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which also includes other well-known toxic species like belladonna and henbane. There are around nine recognized Datura species, with Datura stramonium (commonly known as Jimson weed or Jamestown weed) being the most infamous.

These young plants thrive in waste places, roadsides, and disturbed soils, especially in the Southwestern United States, Central America, South America, Southern California, and even parts of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Identifying the Datura Plant

Datura plants are strikingly beautiful. They feature:

• Large, trumpet-shaped flowers (hence the nickname angel’s trumpet)
• Lobed or toothed margin leaves
• Spiky seed pods known as thorn apples
• Fragrant datura flowers, often white or violet
  

However, don’t let their beauty fool you—all plant parts are poisonous, especially the seeds, leaves, and roots.

The Chemistry of Danger: Tropane Alkaloids

What makes Datura extremely poisonous is its high concentration of tropane alkaloids, particularly:[1]

• Scopolamine
• Hyoscyamine
• Atropine
  

These compounds interfere with the central nervous system by blocking acetylcholine receptors, which leads to anticholinergic syndrome—a potentially fatal condition.

Datura Intoxication: Symptoms & Effects

Datura intoxication often results from accidental ingestion, recreational misuse, or traditional medicine practices. The characteristic symptoms can be severe and often mimic serious poisoning from other substances.

The common symptoms of angel’s trumpet poisoning include:[2]

• Dry mouth and dry skin
• Dilated pupils and blurred vision
• Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Difficulty urinating / urinary retention
• Muscle stiffness
• Hallucinations (often disturbing and dream-like)
• Agitation, confusion, and delirium
• Seizures
• Coma
• Respiratory failure
• In severe cases, even death
  

The hallucinatory effects may sound appealing to some, but they often involve terrifying visions and complete disconnection from reality, making datura use a significant risk factor for permanent damage or fatal poisoning.

Who is Using Datura—and Why?

Reports from the United States media have increasingly highlighted young adults experimenting with datura drug use, often spurred by online forums or curiosity about “natural highs.” Some cases stem from confusion with medicinal plants or sacred datura in indigenous rituals.

 1. Ornamental Appeal

Angel’s trumpet is widely grown in gardens for its large, fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in various colors. Its dramatic appearance and sweet scent make it popular in landscaping—despite its toxicity. When angel trumpets are kept in yards or homes, it becomes easy for someone to accidentally experience poisoning from touching the plant.

2. Traditional or Ritual Use

In some Indigenous and shamanic traditions, particularly in South America, angel’s trumpet has been used ceremonially to induce visions or trance-like states. However, this is typically done by experienced practitioners with deep knowledge of the plant’s dangers.

3. Recreational Hallucinogenic Use

Some individuals seek out angel’s trumpet for its hallucinogenic effects. The plant contains tropane alkaloids (like scopolamine and atropine) that can cause powerful, dreamlike hallucinations—but also severe poisoning, amnesia, and even death. Its use for this purpose is highly dangerous and strongly discouraged.

Datura’s Cultural and Medicinal History

Historically, datura species have been used in shamanic practices across Central America, the Indian subcontinent, and South America. Shamans believed in its power to induce visions or connect with spiritual realms.

In medicine, atropine and scopolamine—both derived from datura stramonium L.—have been used (in extremely small, regulated doses) to treat:

• Motion sickness
• Muscle spasms
• Bradycardia (slow heart rate)

But outside of clinical supervision, datura leaves, seeds, and flowers should never be ingested due to their high toxicity.

Growing Conditions & Misidentification

Datura plants tend to grow in warm climates with poor or sandy soil, often alongside other nightshade family species. Because of their floral resemblance to angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia), a closely related genus, some gardeners may misidentify them—leading to accidental poisoning.

Many of these young plants also resemble other edible herbs or weeds, posing a danger to foragers.

What Happens After Ingestion?

The timeline of datura poisoning usually follows this arc:

1. Within 30–60 minutes: Early signs like dry mouth, dilated pupils, and elevated heart rate
2. After 1–3 hours: Onset of hallucinations, confusion, and severe agitation
3. 12–48 hours: Symptoms can worsen, sometimes requiring ICU-level treatment
4. Recovery period: Lasts days to weeks, with some patients reporting lingering memory loss, psychosis, or organ damage

Datura poisoning requires emergency treatment, which may include:

• Activated charcoal (to bind remaining toxins)
• Benzodiazepines (to manage agitation or seizures)
• Physostigmine (an antidote in certain controlled cases)
• IV fluids and cardiac monitoring
  

In some fatal poisoning cases, treatment is either delayed or ineffective due to the high toxicity levels.

Datura and the Law

In many countries, Datura is not classified as a controlled substance. However, some jurisdictions have imposed restrictions on the sale or possession of Datura stramonium due to rising incidents of abuse and accidental poisoning.

Scientific Basis for Risk

The scientific basis for datura’s dangers lies in its powerful alkaloid composition. These compounds can cross the blood-brain barrier and disrupt neurotransmission at a cellular level.

Even seasoned botanists advise against handling the plant without gloves, as tropane alkaloids may be absorbed through the skin in high concentrations.

Get Connected to Addiction Treatment for Datura and Angel Trumpet

Despite its role in traditional medicine and its long history of use, modern toxicology confirms that Datura use carries an unacceptably high risk of serious side effects, including heart failure, respiratory failure, permanent cognitive impairment, and even death.

In the age of natural remedies and herbal experimentation, it’s critical to separate myth from medicine. Datura might be a medicinal plant in name, but in practice, it is far more poisonous than healing.

If you regularly abuse datura, it’s time to seek help. At Moving Mountains Recovery, we can help you overcome substance abuse and addiction using evidence-based treatment methods. Contact us today for more information on how to get started.

FAQ: Datura Drug – Additional Questions Answered

1. Can you build a tolerance to Datura with repeated use?

No, Datura does not produce a consistent or manageable effect across doses, making tolerance unlikely and dangerous. Its alkaloid levels vary wildly between plants, meaning repeated use increases the risk of accidental overdose rather than building resistance.

2. Is it safe to grow Datura as an ornamental plant at home?

While Datura plants are visually striking, they are not recommended for home gardens, especially in homes with children or pets. Accidental contact or ingestion of seeds, leaves, or flowers can cause serious poisoning.

3. Can animals be poisoned by Datura?

Yes, livestock and pets can be poisoned by ingesting Datura. Cases of cattle, horses, and even dogs experiencing toxicity from grazing near Datura-infested areas are well-documented.

4. How does Datura compare to other hallucinogenic plants or drugs?

Unlike substances like psilocybin or LSD, which typically produce visual distortions with some degree of user awareness, Datura’s hallucinations are often delirious, disorienting, and completely immersive, leading to dangerous behavior and memory blackouts.

5. Are there any safe medical uses for Datura today?

While compounds derived from Datura (like atropine) are used in modern medicine, they are highly refined and administered in strictly controlled environments. The raw plant itself is never used in contemporary clinical treatment due to its unpredictable potency.

6. What should I do if I accidentally touch a Datura plant?

Wash your hands immediately with soap and water, especially before eating or touching your face. While skin absorption is less common than ingestion, it’s still possible to absorb toxic alkaloids through cuts or prolonged contact.

References:

1. Research Gate: Angel’s Trumpet: A Toxic Beauty!
2. The National Library of Medicine (NLM): Acute poisoning due to ingestion of Datura stramonium – a case report