Please Don’t Lick the Colorado River Toad
By Shawn Patrick on November 9, 2022
Magic Mushrooms have been the big talk around Colorado lately as voters got to give their opinion on legalizing the psychedelics in Colorado this week. However, there is another psychedelic that officials are warning people in Colorado not to take part in.
The National Park Service reminded visitors on their Facebook page last week not to touch or lick Sonoran Desert Toads, also referred to as Colorado River Toads, in an attempt to get high.
They said in part, “These toads have prominent parotoid glands that secrete a potent toxin. It can make you sick if you handle the frog or get the poison in your mouth. 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.”
The licking, smoking, or inhaling of the toad’s secretion can reportedly result in a psychedelic experience that typically lasts between 7 and 90 minutes, and can include euphoria and vivid hallucinations. Side effects can also include nausea, anxiety, muscle weakness, cardiovascular problems, seizures, and sometimes death, according to an article from Banyan Treatment Center.
On the other hand, some groups are exploring the potentially positive effects of Sonoran Desert Toad secretions, but these are experts… If you’re no an expert, don’t be a toad licker!
