Spanish Adult Film Actor Arrested After Photographer Dies in Toad-venom Ritual

Nacho Vidal, 46, a Spanish adult film actor and producer has been charged with manslaughter following the death of photographer Jose Luis Abad. He used a pipe to inhale the substance secreted from the glands of the bufo alvarius, a North American toad.

The 'mystic ritual' happened at Vidal's home near the southern city of Valencia last July. Aside from him, the authorities also arrested a family member of his, and an employee. Allegedly, the shamanic ritual was intended to help Abad overcome his drug addiction.

The Guardian wrote, that "the police operation began following the victim's death during the celebration of a mystic ritual based on the inhalation of venom of the Bufo alvarius toad."

The authorities have established that an offense of involuntary manslaughter and public offense had happened, allegedly committed by the organizer and the person who presided the ritual. However, a lawyer of Vidal said that he considers himself innocent and what happened was an unfortunate accident.

A Remedy or a Poison?

The toad that killed Abad is the Bufo alvarius, or known as the Sonoran Desert toad, or the Colorado River toad which is commonly found in northern Mexico and the southwest of the United States. According to IFL Science, the toad's defense mechanism is its glands that produce the hallucinogen 5-methoxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), that can easily kill a grown dog.

It has become a trendy new mind-altering drug and naturalistic treatment of mental health issues. The toad is comparable to the high form of ayahuasca, mescaline, and magic mushrooms, according to the US Addiction Center.

In early days, it was once a common practice to lick the venom directly from the toad, but it has now become the practice to extract the liquid and dehydrate it into a type of dust and then smoked. This substance has long been used by shamans in Mexico.

The effect of the toad's glands is so intense that in most cases, it is not safe to use at a party. If people get overdosed, they can 'white out' and dissociate from their mind and body, said Alan K. Davis, a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at the Psychedelic Research Unit at the Johns Hopkins University.

Mystic Ritual Poses a Serious Health Risk

The Spanish police warned people that the substance was more dangerous than people realize. Sadly, the substance is being sold to highly suggestible people as a cure for their ailments and addictions.

There have been studies that the use of Bufo alvarius have shown promise as a treatment for mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress. However, it is still not recommended to use outside of a clinical setting.

In Vidal's case, investigators said they had discovered that toad rituals were being carried out regularly on his house offering medicinal benefits. But the harmless mystic ritual posed a serious health risk, the police said.

Vidal maintains that he is innocent and that Abad took the substance willingly before his death, his lawyers said.