Narcotic Pangolin Scales?

Wildlife researchers would like everyone to know that the scales of pangolins (a kind of anteater) DO NOT contain the opiate tramadol, because apparently there’s a thriving black-market trade in the scales fueled by people who think they can use them to get high. In fact, the scales are made entirely of keratin, which is the same thing fingernails are made out of.

I wonder how this rumor ever got started. Was it as a joke? Or did someone seriously think they got high from pangolin scales?

More info: Nat Geo

image source: wikipedia

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 15, 2019
Category: Animals | Drugs

Comments

You mean I won't get high smoking banana peels?
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/smoking-banana-peels-1960s-donovan-mellow-yellow-hoax

Posted by ges on 08/15/19 at 07:31 AM

If the pangolins ate a lot of opium poppy plants instead of ants and termites, maybe opiates would then be present in their scales. According to research reports found on Google, the fingernails of drug users do contain traces of some of the drugs they've used.

By the way, I ordered the Psychedelic Apes book from Amazon and should be receiving it today, Alex.

Posted by Fritz on 08/15/19 at 09:25 AM

Never overestimate the IQ of the average human.

Posted by KDP on 08/15/19 at 05:28 PM

Fritz -- Great to hear! Hope you enjoy it!

Posted by Alex on 08/17/19 at 09:55 AM

Did you know you can get high by smoking peanut skins?

Posted by Virtual in Carnate on 08/18/19 at 05:16 AM

There was a warning somewhere about poppy seeds being able to get one high. The rascal who wrote this one was probably a doctor wanting to increase the fiber intake of the average teenager.

Posted by Yudith on 08/19/19 at 06:04 AM

I don't think one can get any kind of high (or low) out of poppy seed ingestion, but you can get a positive result if your urine is tested for opiates after their consumption.

Here's a link to a study confirming this at the NIH site: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2263066

Posted by Fritz on 08/19/19 at 06:50 AM

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