Wednesday, 18 February 2009

Skin-Up a Toad!

It has been reported (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/16/iran-frog-drugs) that drug addicts in Iran are forsaking hashish, heroin and opium to roll up the skins of fancy toads (presumably, the animals produce the chemicals as a defense against predators) in their cigarettes to get high. Ignoring the potential addiction problem, it is difficult to predict the precise impact of this practise on toad populations. One would initially suspect that these delicate animals would be further endangered but, in general, sources of illegal drugs seem to benefit as a consequence of their perceived value (there is no world shortage of Opium poppies or Coca bushes).

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