Drug made from poisonous frog's skin ‘claims first British victim’ in 'detox' ceremony
lbc.co.uk • • health
Key Points:
- Kristian Trend, a 40-year-old wellbeing coach and cancer survivor, collapsed and later died in Leicester after participating in a "cleansing" ceremony using the drug Kambo, a substance derived from frog poison traditionally used in South American rituals.
- Kambo is banned in several countries but remains legal in the UK, where it is sold as a wellbeing aid despite not being regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
- Following Mr. Trend's death on April 11, Leicestershire Police arrested a 41-year-old man on suspicion of administering poison; he has since been released on bail while the investigation continues.
- The Leicestershire Coroner will open an inquest into the death, with toxicology tests ongoing to determine the exact cause.
- Mr. Trend's mother has called for a ban on Kambo, expressing grief over her son's death after he had survived a serious form of cancer.