Young People Using Nutmeg to Get High

WASHINGTON - It's a YouTube video of a lively party. A young man swigs from a giant pitcher while his buddies cheer him on. But it's just water in the pitcher, not alcohol. You see, it's what's in the little bottle he holds in his hand that's of interest. It's nutmeg. The spice you might have in your kitchen.

Cynthia Moreno Tuohy is the executive director of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals.

"It's easy. It's cheap. Most homes have it. Most kids don't think they're gonna get in trouble with it," Tuohy says.

Moreno Tuohy's organization publishes a study guide for substance abuse counselors. Right on page 103 they mention nutmeg and its "hallucinogenic effects."

Experts say in large amounts, nutmeg can cause blurred vision and respiratory troubles.

Moreno Tuohy says it should also make parents think.

"What I would say to a parent is let's dig a little bit deeper. Are you having conversations with your young person. Are you talking about what's happening in their life? Do they feel connected with you? Are they feeling like they have joy in their life? If they don't have joy, they are gonna look for ways to find joy," says Moreno Tuohy.