National Park Service asks visitors to stop licking psychedelic toads 

The National Park Service (NPS) is urging visitors to stop licking a toad that can give intense psychedelic experiences. 

"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 National Park Service said.

The Colorado River toad, also known as the Sonoran desert toad, is one of the largest toads in North America at almost seven inches and emits a “weak, low-pitched sound.” The amphibian is often found near springs, reservoirs, and streams in Mexico and the Southwest.

The toad’s glands secrete a toxin that contains the psychedelic chemical 5-MeO-DMT, which can cause those who come in contact with it to hallucinate. 

Many people have reportedly sought out the toad to lick it and have an out-of-body experience, prompting the NPS to issue the warning. 

"The experience is going to start within 10 to 30 seconds, and then you're going to be physically incapacitated for 20 to 30 minutes," said Alan Davis, a Johns Hopkins psychedelics researcher.

5-MeO-DMT is often extracted from the toad’s glands and then is dried into a paste that is smoked. While the U.S. government has classified the liquid as a drug with no accepted medical use, figures such as Mike Tyson and Hunter Biden have admitted to using it to treat their drug addiction problems. 

However, consuming the psychedelic liquid from the toad can have several negative effects that can pose a threat to an individual’s well-being.

“Licking or swallowing can lead to numbness of the mouth and throat as well as severe and life-threatening effects on the heart as a result of the digoxin-like compounds and catecholamines described above,” the agency warns.

“These effects include irregular rhythm of the heart, heart block, reduced blood pressure and cardiac arrest.”