A rare case of exposure to natural psychoactive substances, and difficulties with medicolegal assessment
Majdanik, Sławomir.; Potocka-Banaś, B.; Borowiak, K.
Annales Academiae Medicae Stetinensis 59(1): 58-60
2013
ISSN/ISBN: 1427-440X PMID: 24734336 Document Number: 670168
An unusual case of exposure to natural psychoactive substances deriving from Datura stramonium (jimsonweed, thorn-apple) is presented in this article. It may be of interest in this case that a hallucinogenic substance was intentionally administered by a third party. An initial assessment in this criminal case was questionable, and resulted from a lack of consideration of toxicological exposure and its possible aftermath. The above-mentioned case demonstrates the necessity of considering all toxicological aspects of the case, even though initial findings seemed to indicate something else.