Psychoactive toad

Psychoactive toad is a name used for toads from which psychoactive substances from the family of bufotoxins can be derived. The skin and venom of Bufo alvarius (Colorado River toad or Sonoran Desert toad) contain 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin. Other species contain only bufotenin. 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin both belong to the family of hallucinogenic tryptamines. Due to these substances the skin or venom of the toads may produce psychoactive effects when smoked.

Cultivation and uses
To obtain the psychoactive substances the venom of psychoactive toads is commonly milked from the toad's venom glands. The milking procedure does not harm the toad — it consists of stroking it under its chin to initiate the defensive venom response. Once the liquid venom has been collected and dried, it can be used for its psychedelic effects. The toad takes about a month to refill its venom glands following the milking procedure, during which time the toad will not produce venom. Some vendors sell dried toad skins, even though it is possible to harvest the venom without harming the toad. The venom is often used for recreational purposes.

Rumors and misconceptions
Rumors, dating from the 1970s, claimed that groups of "hippies" or teenagers were licking the psychoactive toads to get high. One version of the story has hippies in the hills of California chasing toads through the woods to get high. In another version, the infamous cane toad of Australia was said to be licked or ingested both by aborigines and by Australian hippies. These stories were propagated by a number of sources, including drug-abuse lectures, at least one textbook, and USA Today in 1988. The act of toad-licking has been depicted in the television programs such as L.A. Law, Family Guy, Futurama, The Simpsons, South Park, and The X-Files. The story was never true. While it certainly cannot be proven that no one has ever licked a toad in California, there is no documented evidence for toad-licking as a regular practice of any group at any time, nor is there any documented evidence that hallucinatory effects can be achieved in this way.

Licking toads is not biologically practical. In order for these tryptamines to be orally active the human mono-amin-oxidase system needs to be inhibited. Many of the original antidepressant medications were MAO inhibitors, but because of their side effects they have been phased out. The MAO system keeps dangerous amines from building up in the blood stream. Many animals do not have an MAO system comparable to humans. This accounts for sheep and cow "staggers" when eating tryptamine containing phalaris grasses. Snorting, injecting or smoking tryptamines will bypass the primary MAO system in the digestive tract. Therefore the "licking of toads" will not result in a typtamine hallucination, unless combined with an MAO inhibitor. Ayahuasca or Yaje' is a native brew that uses the MAO inhibiting properties of beta-carbolines (harmine, harmaline, etc) combined with various tryptamine containing plants. This mixture of MAO inhibitors and tryptamines allows for the tryptamines to be active when consumed orally. For this reason toad licking would not result in a "high" but rather a very ill state.