As the monsoon creeps toward the Valley, Sonoran Desert Toads are starting to come out of their hiding places in the ground.
This hefty toad native to the Sonoran Desert is highly sought after for its hallucinogenic venom, which is a highly dangerous drug that is also growing in popularity these days — especially after the premiere of a 2017 Vice News documentary about it.
Hunter Biden, the president’s son, claims to have kicked crack cocaine after smoking the venom, and boxer Mike Tyson says it changed his life.
But conservationists warn that not only is the drug dangerous and illegal, but harvesting it harms the toads.
Robert Villa is a naturalist in Tucson and president of the Tucson Herpetological Society. He has been raising awareness about the toads and asking people to not use the venom.
The Show spoke with him to learn more about the venom and what people say this drug does.
