Tom is your average teenager. He works long hours at the local grocery, attends high school, and parties regularly. Recently, Tom has discovered how tired he has been lately. He strenuously pushes himself everyday to find time for everything. One night Tom attends a party; he notices everyone is taking pills. Being an adventurous person, he approaches one of his friends for the pill. He ends up taking two doses of the horrendous drug. After an hour, Tom becomes eccentric, happy-go-lucky, and has developed a lot of energy. Half of the people at the party have taken this pill. They did not take ecstasy, acid or even muscle relaxers. They are not smoking pot, crack, or huffing Glade; they are consuming the latest drug on the market. The kids are calling it “The Big G.” The cool kinds in school are taking, using, and abusing it to no end. Tom took 200mg of the latest stuff, Panax pseudoginseng, or better know to the public as Ginseng.

People are always looking for the newest pick-me-up, whether it is coffee, caffeine pills, or even crack/cocaine. The general population of America is now consuming herbs at an alarming rate. Herbs are defined as any plant or plant part that has medical properties. Herb usage has skyrocketed in the last few years; all over America people are taking it for recreational and experimental use. Some commonly found herbs in consumption today are Ginseng and Ginkgo.

For thousands of years the ginseng root has been a valued medicinal herb in traditional oriental healing. References to ginseng can be found in writings dating back over two millennia. The root was subsequently exported to the existing market, starting in 1717. In 1824, 375 tons of ginseng was exported to Asian markets from the US. Cultivated ginseng production, particularly in Canada and the US, continues to fill the growing need for this addictive drug, exporting many hundreds of tons of ginseng each year. Wild ginseng root is becoming rarer in the United States, and it has been virtually eliminated in Asia. Fortunately, the cultivated root has demonstrated all the potency of the wild variety, although the wild root still commands a higher price. Even the Mafia wants in on this moneymaking crop.

If you find a teenager with little stress, improved memory, energy, little to no fatigue, high sense of vitality, in a sense of well being and in overall tip top condition, it is quite possible that traces of ginseng could be found in his system. Ginseng urine tests are now mandatory in all flamingo-farming jobs available in the job market to date.

Ginseng is everywhere. It is laced into pot, mixed in drinks, sold in bottles; even young adults are taking it for the effects. Tom, our friend that we spoke of in the beginning, abuses ginseng regularly, taking it before school, after school, in between meals, even before bedtime. A new “herbalholic” beverage, called the Sobe Zen Blend, mixes three different types of ginseng together. When asked about its effects, people say it is a lot like “doing crank” or huffing large amounts of freon. These sick people are drinking this blend of ginseng, then driving or operating heavy machinery. Last week, I saw a middle school student walking to class, drinking a bottle of this. So not only are adults and teens drinking it, but children too. Yes, children. Scary, yet astonishing, a ten-year-old could get fresh dried ginseng root, in its purest form, with greater ease than getting crack.

Ginkgo, another herb of the drug scene, is an ancient tree that produces fan-shaped leaves. It is native to China but now grows throughout the world as a decorative tree. The herb, made from an extract of the leaves, is one of the most popular herbs in China, Germany, and the United States. Ginkgo biloba has been used for centuries to help promote healthy circulation. Clinical research indicates that its natural phytonutrients may be helpful in maintaining normal blood circulation throughout the brain. The main effect brought on by this horrible drug is improved blood circulation of oxygen and energy to the brain, which may help support mental alertness and short-term memory. Ginkgo has been shown to improve short-term memory in healthy people and in people with age-related memory loss. People mentally addicted to “The Gingk” may find themselves taking it up to three or four times a day. There are also herbalholic beverages that include ginkgo in the line up of ingredients.

Some other herbs being taken for “benefits” today are: papaya, garlic, chamomile, echinacea (also known as “The E”), kava, St. John’s Wort, valerian, green tea, saw palmetto and goldseal just to name a few. This herbal revolution has really taken America by storm. Parents are wondering if their children are trying it, the DEA is trying to control it, and kids are looking for dealers. Tom said, “It’s just for fun, man. I only take it once or seven times a day. It’s not really bad like crack or anything.” Bullshit, if I can say so myself. Unlike every other fad, I think that herbs are here to stay. Luckily for people addicted to the herbs, there are help groups out now that can help overcome the addiction. When I went back for a second interview with Tom, his befuddled and sorrowful mother told me that he had overdosed on “The Big G.”