What's your favorite poison and why?
Finally an interesting question. There are many answers to this, depending on the used definition of poison and for what it would be intended for. Whether I find a poison interesting enough is mostly determined by how fascinating itâs biochemical mechanisms are, but also if itâs nondetectable and rare, how clever it would be in a murder.Â
Some more common poisons can have very fascinating biochemical properties like cyanide, which inhibits enzymes neccessary for aerobic respiration and suffocating a person on a cellular level. But they are more commonly used in murders, making them more easily traceable, less creative and thus less interesting then. Just obvious. I prefer rarer poisons, less obvious. The more cunning and sophisticated, the better. Toxins which you can barely detect, unless you know what you are looking for, but most people are idiots and wonât think about it. Perfect murder. Unless you consult me of course.
And especially natural poisons are the most toxic, like Botulinum toxin which was used in some of my cases. Especially neurotoxins like this work in fascinating ways, Tetrodotoxin from pufferfish, shutting down nerve cell communication, slowly paralysing and shutting the body down by respiratory failure. This poison is especially cruel because the victim can still be conscious and lucid, even if they are completely paralyzed, unable to talk or move, to do nothing except to suffer and wait for death approaching.Â
Another very potent and very rare poison is Polonium-210, killing by acute irradiation, no antidote and it takes days to show effects, giving the murderer enough time to get an alibi or leave the country. Of course the trail of radiation can lead to the killer if not handled correctly. Very fascinating poison, but difficult to acquire, which is why itâs only knowinlgy used by secret services, but there might be more cases where it was never detected. As you can see itâs difficult to pick favourites with such diverse acting mechanisms of poisons and their interesting ways to kill. Â
However, if you meant favourite poison in a more recreational way, then my clear answer is cocaine. Which also has cardiotoxic effects so it can be used as a poison resulting in overdoses, but itâs subjective personal effects are much better than to use it to kill someone, I assure. A more poisonous drug would be fentanyl, very strong opioid resulting in respiratory depression, 120 times stronger than morphine, difficult to dosage. Though I prefer morphine for personal use. But even nicotine can be considered a poison if overdosed. But itâs all just subjective defintions, to quote Paracelsus âWhat is there that is not poison? All things are poison and nothing is without poison.â
