The specimen of weed the high school boy discovered and turned over to Captain Joseph Schmucker as suspected marihuana, and which was sent to the Philadelphia Police Laboratory for identification, proves to be a plant of unusual nature to that laboratory, although not marihuana.

In a letter received by Captain Schmucker last night, Edward J. Burke, chemist of the bureau, writes, “The specimen resembles marihuana in certain characteristics. Microscopic and chemical tests show the plant to be a very different species and not marihuana. Visible differences are the absence of the pointed tips of the marihuana plant and the absence of its distinctive odor upon lighting.

He is also in receipt of a letter from the chief of the Bureau of Narcotics at Harrisburg, expressing his pleasure at the interest shown in Lycoming County and that this will do much to eradicate both the weed and its peddlers in this vicinity.

He cited two instances recently which have to come to his attention, which show the peddlers of marihuana have been in this neighborhood. A prominent local physician told him, his son and another 15-year old high school boy had been approached about a month ago by a peddler who tried to sell them marihuana cigarettes. This is the second report of efforts to sell these cigarettes to local high school pupils, which has been reported to him.

The other case was a report given to him by a woman at the meeting of the First Baptist Church. She said she had been called to Elmira by her sister whose son had smoked a marihuana cigarette and then tried to kill himself. It was necessary to keep him in a strait jacket for three days.