December 1, 2007
by GLENN E. RICE, The Kansas City Star
Leapin' lizards! The things people will do to get high
Clay County officials accuse David S. Theiss of possessing the Sonoran Desert toad of the Colorado River [Bufo alvarius] with the intent to extract the venom to smoke it. Prosecutor Daniel White said the case is an example of the elaborate lengths some people are going to in order to get high.
White said possessing the toad is not illegal, but investigators, not familiar with the method, had to research the toad to make sure it is not a protected species.
White said Theiss was charged after investigators determined he allegedly possessed the toad with the intent to get high off its venom.
White said the toad has gained popularity because it secretes venom on its back when the creature becomes angry or frightened -- a venom that contains a hallucinogen called bufotenine. The hallucinogen and what authorities refer to as "toad smoking" are illegal, White said.
Authorities found the toad and other items when they went to a Northland residence to investigate a suspected meth lab. They later arrested Theiss and charged him with three counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possessing drug paraphernalia -- the toad.
For years, White said, people experimented with "toad licking," but toad smoking is considered a substitute. To do so, a person heats the frog's venom, which breaks down its toxins and preserves the hallucinogen. Then it's dried and smoked.
White said the use of a toad and extracts from natural plants to get high are becoming popular. He said there are some Internet sites that feature an instructional video on how to extract the toad's venom.
"It is easier to get it, and law enforcement might not immediately know you use it to get high," White said. "It's sort of a New Age way to get high. You convince yourself it is OK because it is something you get naturally from our environment. There are a lot of things that are created naturally but they are still not legal."
Theiss is also accused of possessing mescaline, a controlled substance extracted from a cactus.
See the original article here.
More on the psychedelic tryptamine bufotenine can be found in Tikhal, [Tryptamines I Have Known And Loved] by Alexander Shulgin which can be ordered here.
NOTICE: Azarius does not sell Bufo alvarius toads, but if you're interested in the effects of bufotenine, you can try the completely vegan Yopo seeds, Cebil or Chaliponga leaves. A combination of bufotenine and 5-MeO-DMT is present in the Spirit Elixer 2, Spirit Elixer 4 and Spirit Elixer 5.
More on mescaline can be found here.
