US park officials have asked visitors to stop licking psychedelic toads, saying that anyone seeking a hallucinogenic high from the wart-covered amphibians is more likely to end up seriously ill.
The US National Park Service last week posted cautionary messages on social media against licking Sonoran Desert toads, a practice long depicted on popular animated television shows including The Simpsons and Family Guy.
‘REFRAIN FROM LICKING’
“As we say with most things you come across in a national park, whether it be a banana slug, unfamiliar mushroom, or a large toad with glowing eyes in the dead of night, please refrain from licking,” park officials said.
The toads — among the largest in North America, at nearly 18cm long — secrete a potent toxin from their glands, which “can make you sick if you handle the frog or get the poison in your mouth,” the officials wrote.
The messages did not indicate how many people have been seeking recreational highs by licking the slimy green creatures, also called Colorado River toads, which live in the southwestern US and northwest Mexico.
TOXINS
To defend themselves from predators, the toads secrete a milky substance containing various toxins, among which is 5-MeO-DMT — a psychoactive compound that triggers hallucinogenic effects.
Smoking extracted 5-MeO-DMT induces a powerful, short psychedelic experience, and has become popular in the past few years, including at expensive underground “toad ceremonies” in the US, where it is a controlled substance, and in Mexico.
Celebrities such as boxing champion Mike Tyson and podcaster Joe Rogan have discussed the use of the substance for therapeutic, recreational and even spiritual purposes.
COULD BE FATAL
However, the toad’s venom also contains other toxic substances that can be fatal when ingested.
Scientists have also said that the growing demand for Sonoran Desert toads’ secretions could endanger the species.
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