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weren’t aware of. Lesson one: buckeyes aren’t true nuts, they are considered nut-like seeds. Prepare to be educated about this Ohio staple. And, less than subliminally, about the newest Ohio mainstay,opioids.
- Aesculus glabra:Common name: Ohio Buckeye. It is one of approximately 19 species.
There aredozens of opioid varieties, and they are classified intothree main types: natural opiates like morphine, semi-synthetic opioids likeoxycodoneor heroin, and full synthetics like fentanyl and carfentanil.
- C17H19NO3:Common name:Morphine| Street Names: M, Miss Emma, Monkey
- C21H23NO5:Common name:Heroin| Street Names: Smack, Tar, Dragon, H
- C22H23N2O:Common name:Fentanyl| Street Names: Apache, China Girl
Appearance
Ohio buckeyes are small-to-medium-sized deciduous trees. The deep green leaves are comprised of five smaller leaflets — much like fingers on a hand. Spiky seed pods protect the most recognizable part of the plant, the buckeyes themselves. Their enigmatic name is based on the seed shell’s brown color and white center. It looks like a buck’s eye.
Opioidshave a greater variation in appearance.Codeinesyrup is red.Oxycodonetakes the form of circular pills of various colors depending on brand and dosage.Heroinis a yellow-white or brown powder, or a black tar substance. Andfentanylcomes in prescription sprays, patches, pills, lollipops or illegal white powder.
No matter the size, shape, texture, or color they take, one thing remains true: All opioids are highly addictive. Often disastrously so.
Distribution
As the official state tree, it’s no surprise the buckeye tree is prevalent across Ohio. The plant’s reach also extends into Pennsylvania, southern Michigan, and westward into Illinois. The same can be said for opioids. While buckeye trees rely on pollen to spread, opioids rely on at-risk communities and individuals to spread like a plague.
But unlike the buckeye tree, the opioid addiction and overdose footprint isgrowing largerand disseminating across the country into West Virginia, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and elsewhere.
Cultural Meaning
Buckeyes embody Ohio culture. The nut has been the Ohio State University’s mascot since 1950. Brutus the Buckeye amps up massive crowds at their football games, and his signature nut-shaped head can’t be missed. Even the “O” in the state flag is designed after the seed’s shell. Beyond this, the nuts themselves are considered good-luck charms and are a statewide treasure.
Opioids, on the other hand, are considered anational epidemic. These drugs kill indiscriminately across cultural, ethnic, and gender lines. But there does seem to be a pattern in Ohio.The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundationfound that white men 25–34 years of age were the most common victims of opioid overdose deaths.
Consumption
From leaves to bark, the buckeye tree is a poisonous plant. Removing the shell and roasting the nut neutralizes its harmful tannic acid content and makes for a protein-packed snack. If not prepared properly though, buckeye nuts are toxic to humans, causing symptoms including weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, paralysis, and death. Sound familiar?
Similar symptoms are present in opioid use, misuse, and overdoses. Some opioids, like fentanyl, require as little as agrain-of-sand-sized amount to overdose.
Better to stick to the peanut butter and chocolate buckeye candies and avoid opioids entirely.
Medicinal Uses
Native Americans once used buckeyes for both nutritional and medicinal purposes. These tribes would crush and knead the nuts into a salve for rashes and cuts. Today, some believe that buckeyes can relieve rheumatism and arthritis pain.
Prescription opioids were first created exclusively for pain relief. There is certainly no denying their medicinal value for patients with chronic pain. However, the dose makes the poison, and the opportunity for misuse and addiction is always possible.
While we don’t offer buckeye addiction treatment yet, we are experts on just about every other kind. If you or someone you love is suffering from a substance use disorder, The Recovery Village Columbus will provide you with the rehabilitation andresourcesneeded to lead an opioid-free life.Contact an intake coordinatortoday to learn more about thetreatment optionsavailable.
FAQs
These seeds are popularly believed to bring good luck, and school children especially still carry them in their pockets as a charm. And while highly poisonous, buckeye seeds contain much protein and were used as a food source by Native Americans who boiled and leached them to remove their toxins.
What is the opioid problem in Ohio? ›
Ohio has an age-adjusted overdose fatality rate of 46.3 per 100,000 standard population, significantly higher than the national average (Hedegaard et al., 2018). This is due, in part, to a sharp increase in IMF adulterated heroin overdose deaths since 2016 (Ohio Department of Health, 2021).
Can you eat buckeyes from a buckeye tree? ›
Poisonous Plant: All parts of the plant (leaves, bark, fruit) are highly toxic if ingested – because of the glycoside aesculin, the saponin aescin, and possibly alkaloids. Symptoms are muscle weakness and paralysis, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, paralysis, and stupor.
What can Buckeyes be used for? ›
Native Americans once used buckeyes for both nutritional and medicinal purposes. These tribes would crush and knead the nuts into a salve for rashes and cuts. Today, some believe that buckeyes can relieve rheumatism and arthritis pain. Prescription opioids were first created exclusively for pain relief.
What is the spiritual meaning of the buckeye? ›
Most people know the tradition that bestows magical good luck properties on the venerable buckeye. It is said that keeping a buckeye rolling around in your pocket brings wealth, wisdom and the ability to ward off all manner of nasties from emerald ash borers to falling stock markets.
What is the story behind buckeye? ›
Ohio is known as the Buckeye State because buckeye trees were prevalent in the area when the territory was settled in the late 18th century. The buckeye gets its name from its distinctive nutlike seed that, when dried, appears a rich, dark brown color with a single lighter brown spot that resembles the eye of a deer.
What drug causes the most deaths in Ohio? ›
Those 3,579 deaths represent 98% of the 3,651 overall opioid fatalities in Ohio last year — reinforcing the breadth of the state's challenge with illegal fentanyl.
How much did the opioid crisis cost Ohio? ›
In the 39 jurisdictions studied, combined costs of opioid use disorder and fatal opioid overdose varied from $985 million in Wyoming to $72,583 million in Ohio.
What opioid company is in trouble? ›
Purdue Pharma is inextricably linked with the opioid crisis. Owned by the Sackler family, the company is known for aggressively and deceptively marketing opioids —OxyContin in particular — to prescribing doctors.
Why do you carry a buckeye in your pocket? ›
They were carried as a folk remedy to ward off rheumatism, hemorrhoids and other assorted ailments. But mostly, it was considered a lucky charm. An old saying went, “You'll never find a dead man with a buckeye in his pocket.” Our native Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is possibly my favorite landscape plant.
Any part of the plant, if ingested, is poisonous but just touching it is not harmful. Farmers have been known to remove the buckeye tree from fields where cattle graze to prevent the animals from eating any part of the tree. It can cause paralysis, vomiting, diarrhea, stupor.
Can you grow a buckeye tree from a buckeye nut? ›
Gathering seeds
If you already have a buckeye tree and wish to collect nuts and plant them to grow additional buckeye trees, collect the nuts once they fall from the tree naturally in September and October. Remove the nuts from the leathery husks and store them in the refrigerator for 120 days.
What did Native Americans use buckeyes for? ›
Native California tribes, including the Pomo, Yokut, and Luiseño, cleverly used the ground-up powder of buckeye seeds to stupefy schools of fish in small streams, making them easier to catch. And the smooth, straight branches of the buckeye made it useful to native peoples as a bow drill and a fire drill.
Do buckeyes help arthritis? ›
Native Americans once used buckeyes for both nutritional and medicinal purposes. These tribes would crush and knead the nuts into a salve for rashes and cuts. Today, some believe that buckeyes can relieve rheumatism and arthritis pain.
What is Ohio famously known for? ›
Above all else, Ohio is famous for Cincinnati chili, a polarizing style of chili served over spaghetti. Ohio also takes pride in its strong dairy industry, producing cheeses and ice cream that are enjoyed locally and even rival those from Wisconsin, America's undeniable cheese capital.
Why do people carry around buckeyes? ›
According to folklore, the Buckeye resembles the eye of a deer and carrying one brings good luck. “Buckeyes” has been the official Ohio State nickname since 1950, but it had been in common use for many years before.
Why do people carry buckeyes in their pocket? ›
A flattened place adjacent to the scar allows a person's thumb to settle on it just so. Many people jeep one in their pocket as a good luck charm or talisman. If the fish aren't biting, rub your buckeye seed just so, spit on your bait, and hang on.
