H 4899 General Bill, By P.B. Harris and J.L.M. Cromer
 A Bill to provide that it is unlawful to lick, kiss or bite a cane toad or to
 engage in the act of toad-smoking, and to provide for a penalty of thirty
 days' community service at the Aquarium/Reptile Complex at Riverbanks Zoo in
 Columbia.

   03/09/94  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-6
   03/09/94  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-6

A BILL

TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO LICK, KISS, OR BITE A CANE TOAD OR TO ENGAGE IN THE ACT OF TOAD-SMOKING, AND TO PROVIDE FOR A PENALTY OF THIRTY DAYS' COMMUNITY SERVICE AT THE AQUARIUM/REPTILE COMPLEX AT RIVERBANKS ZOO IN COLUMBIA.

Whereas, according to a column in The State newspaper of Columbia dated February 13, 1990: "Licking cane toads will not give you warts or produce a fairy prince, but it might get you high."; and

Whereas, that column reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration has said that "cane-toad licking is the latest way to hallucinate", because the toad, which can grow to the size of a dinner plate, produces a toxin called bufotenine, which it secretes to ward off predators; and

Whereas, the column also reported that "when licked, the toxin acts as a hallucinogen."; and

Whereas, now along comes the related problem of "toad-smoking", where venom is squeezed from the kidney-shaped parotoid glands on the back of a live toad, then dried and smoked; and

Whereas, in an article appearing in The Wall Street Journal for March 7, 1994, Dr. Andrew T. Weil, a scientist at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine in Tucson who is also a physician and drug-culture researcher, said that smoking dried venom from a Colorado River toad produced "a sense of wonder and well-being"; and

Whereas, it would appear that the "giant frogs" might, to many persons, be only harmless, endearing critters, yet some members of the American populace continue to "scale the heights" of borderline behavior, and the potential for abuse is so great that the General Assembly finds it necessary to make an "amphibious landing" to nip the problem in the bud. Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. It is unlawful in this State to lick, kiss, or bite a cane toad or to engage in the act of toad-smoking. A violation of this section is a misdemeanor and must be punished by thirty days' community service at the Aquarium/Reptile Complex at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia.

The provisions of this section do not apply to members of the toad family, which may continue to smoke, bite, lick, and kiss each other at will.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.