State Police told WRGB that wasp spray is being used as an alternative to methamphetamine in Boone County.
Officials believe the spray played a role in three overdoses last week, and officials say the physical impacts of the spray are erratic behavior and extreme swelling and redness of the hands and feet.
"In my opinion, drugs are so bad around here. It's so available to people, and then all the time trying things new that we wouldn't even think about," one resident told WRGB.
Stores in Boone County on Friday sold nearly 30 cans of the wasp spray.
"From what we're being told, if you use it, you know, you might use it one or twice and be fine, but the third time, when your body hits that allergic reaction, it can kill you," Seargent Charles Sutphin of the West Virginia State Police said to the station.
The Boone County Police are working with poison control officials and local medical centers to find the best form of treatment for the wasp spray.
"We have great grand babies, and to think what they're going to grow up in, and what's going to be available to them, and what people are going to get them to try... It's really scary," resident Diane Ferguson said.
Reader Comments
I have little doubt that many of those idiot kids got lung cancer from our whole 'paraquat spraying Mexico' 'tactic.' (As IF government cared. Govmt. thought behind that - and I think bush*t I was behind that, just like restricting ether - was that 'they're crimiinals, they deserve what they get - I.E., the death penalty a/k/a CIA speak of 'The Slow Kill'.
Meanwhile, George Jr. (W) was getting his clean from Arkansas. Whatever.
R.C.
So they came up with thinner nosed pumps for regular. So the market came up with pieces of pvc tube that one would put over the leaded hose to make its exit smaller, and thus use regular. (They were available in every auto parts stores, including the then SoCal specific 'Pep Boys.')
Being a fan of all* things obsolete, I still have mine.
R.C.
* Wanna buy some original eight-tracks?
RC
Well, let me make myself CLEAR! I, for one, AGREE!!!!
R.C.
*Attempting to appear denigratory, but my conclusion speaks for itself. I note this due to my policy of never being sarcastic / facetious, et al. without declaration due to the ways words spoken contain an infinite number of nuances and inflections that reveal their S/F/et al.; while the written word cannot - this is especially so in our modern world where most?/many are literate, and yet cannot be expected to suffuciently 'read between the lines' so as to recognize undeclared sarcasm.
More importantly, given how very many idiots online exist looking for some writing "to be offended by/'be made a 'victim' of" this requirement (of declaration of sarcasm et al) helps those who are not such idiots not waste their time.
Nuff sed. Love your point.
RC