Thieves Steal Large Amounts of Cheap Spice, Grocery Stores Take Action(poppy seeds)

[wendal]

I'm not sure what's more troublesome..... the 'facts' about poppy seed tea from the article or the comments from the general public under the article...

:shudder:


Thieves Steal Large Amounts of Cheap Spice, Grocery Stores Take Action | KCRG-TV9 Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Local News

Thieves Steal Large Amounts of Cheap Spice, Grocery Stores Take Action

By Mark Geary, Reporter

By Mark Geary


Story Created: Jan 8, 2008
Story Updated: Jan 8, 2008

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Managers at several Cedar Rapids grocery stores recently noticed a certain product has become almost impossible to keep in stock. It's not because people are buying it.

This simple item is often used in muffins, cakes and even salad dressing. Now, some people have found another use for it and they're ripping it off the shelves.

You'd expect thieves to target a grocery store's pharmacy or even liquor department.

But, at several local Hyvee stores, criminals are shaking down the spice aisle...searching for poppy seeds.

"We would receive a shipment of the item in one evening, get it stocked and by noon the next day, all of it would be off the shelf," Hyvee manager Brian Wills said.

Managers couldn't understand why anyone would steal from the store's spice rack. A container of poppy seeds costs less than a buck.

"We thought maybe we missed something on a cooking show or something like that, and we just weren't keeping up," Wills said.

Store officials went on the internet and learned large amounts of the spice can be used to create poppy seed tea.

The drink acts like morphine and can make people feel high or even hallucinate. Other more serious side effects are also possible.

"Some of the effects they may feel will be dizziness, nausea, sedation, itching and cardiac arrest. So, these are not real desirable symptoms," addiction specialist Shawn Stepp said.

At many Hyvee stores, theft got so bad, the spice now sits behind the service desk.

"It's not typical for a retail operation to pay an awful lot of attention to their spices," Wills said.

It's a small, cheap ingredient tucked among shelves of more appetizing items to steal.

But, managers say they couldn't keep the spice in stock, so they had to do something.

Addiction experts say it takes several pounds of poppy seeds just to make one cup of the tea. Remember, the drink can be dangerous and even fatal.

Nutmeg can also act as a dangerous narcotic when taken in large quantities. However, stores tell us they haven't had a problem with people stealing that spice.

[Lazlo]

You have to go to the front counter in some stores to get them. Craziness.

[Hippie3]

fucking thieves ruining it for everyone

[suckerfree]

notice they mention at the end of the article "oh btw, nutmeg can fuck you up too..." hint hint come buy some from behind the counter.

[CoyoteMesc]

Id like to know who in hell could eat enough nutmeg to fuck em up, YUK

lol

[witchdr11]

Haha , I have a few times , I usually just puked alot and felt a bit weirdly high, and had really bad cotton mouth too. It doesn't even really take that much..more than two tablespoons and you will likely feel like you ate about 4 pot brownies while having the flu ...

Please don't do this, it's just not worth it. I did it so you dont have to!

I know you know this already, but damn CM, that girl in your avatar has one of the finest asses on the planet..WHO IS SHE??!

[Lazlo]

I was in this store looking for some oregano and there was a small sign in the section that said "see front desk for poppy seeds". Unbelievable.

[Nzo]

thats retarded,
why dont they just fuck actual morphine
instead of a seed tea.

[aumbrellaforainydays]

so can you even get a high or would you die? i mean 3-4 lbs of poppy seeds? got to be kidding. those thieves should hit flower shops for dried poppy heads.

[Hippie3]

these punks proly still too young to drive,
catch a ride with mom to the market

[eatyualive]

wow.

[bear]

Originally Posted by Hippie3

these punks proly still too young to drive,
catch a ride with mom to the market

hardcore.

[cleanjar]

"hardcore."

desperate might be a more suitable definition.

[wendal]

Originally Posted by aumbrellaforainydays

so can you even get a high or would you die? i mean 3-4 lbs of poppy seeds? got to be kidding. those thieves should hit flower shops for dried poppy heads.

if the seeds haven't been washed ( the more mainstream brands are washed) then making a tea with a pound or two of the seed produces a nice opioid high.

3 to 4 pounds could contain enough for a very opioid naive person to OD and die