Snake venom – An unconventional recreational substance for psychonauts in India. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jadav, Devendra; Shedge, Rutwik; Meshram, Vikas P.; Kanchan, Tanuj; Shekhawat, Raghvendra Singh
• Is Part Of: Journal of forensic and legal medicine. Volume 91(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Snake venom -- Addiction -- Substance abuse -- Psychoactive substance -- Psychoactive fauna; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Forensic sciences -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine légale -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 614.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2022.102398
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1752-928X

Abstract

Abstract: Psychoactive substances have been used by humankind for recreational purposes since time immemorial. The psychoactive properties of these substances are known to alter the consciousness, mood, and perception of people taking them. While the use of alcohol, opioids, and cannabinoids for recreational purposes has been researched thoroughly, cases of using psychoactive fauna or animal body parts for getting a 'high' are seldom reported. One such psychoactive substance used in India is snake venom. Snake venom has been reported to cause mood alteration, nociception, lethargy, and blurring of vision, and hence requires a careful review to delve into whether the recreational effects felt by the users can be attributed to constituents of snake venom or are solely due to self-induced effects.