Scorpions are among the most feared of all creepy-crawly creatures. Many people assume 
that scorpions are insects, but they are actually categorized as arachnids, as their eight legs clearly indicate. For those who fear arachnids, the thought of sustaining a sting from a scorpion is among the most terrifying of thoughts. However, in some scorpion-rich regions around the world, scorpion stings bring great relief to drug abusers. In the countries of India, Afghanistan and Pakistan, numerous citizens allow themselves to be stung by scorpions in order to achieve an intoxicating effect. In fact, many people have begun to smoke scorpions as a pain-free method of achieving a state of euphoria. For the time being, there does not exist any statistics concerning the prevalence of scorpion abuse, if you will. However, narcotics experts report that the use of scorpions as a form of drug abuse is by no means rare.
Tourists visiting certain regions of India have encountered street vendors who offer consumers intoxicating highs via scorpion stings. Scorpion-highs can be purchased for seventy to 200 rupees, which equates to around one to three dollars. Upon paying this fee, a dealer will place a scorpion in a person’s hand before batting it with a stick. This will cause the scorpion to sting the person’s hand, thus allowing the person to experience the intoxicating effects of the venom. Other people prefer to smoke scorpions by placing them over burning coals in order to inhale the venomous smoke. Drying scorpions in the sunlight is also common, as the dehydrated remains can be smoked with tobacco in a pipe or in cigarette form. Although this process sounds like a lot of trouble, venom users find scorpions to be the cheapest available method of achieving an intoxicating high. The effects of the venom can last for up to three full days, and the euphoria that it supposedly produces has been compared to heroin intoxication.
Would you be willing to experience a scorpion bite in order to confirm or deny its purported intoxicating effects?
