tetrodotoxin
may be used as either a swift death via lethal injection (no other substances required) or as a new pain killer for chronic pain - take your pick - it depends on the dose
it is a severe CNS toxin
also makes a good zombie drug
it is also readily available in members of the family Tetraodontidae (most puffer fish)
The entire Tetraodontidae family has a worldwide distribution. Its members are found near shore in shallow seas from the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic"]Atlantic[/ame] to the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific"]Pacific[/ame]. Many members of the family can be found in areas of [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brackish_water"]brackish water[/ame] such as [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estuaries"]estuaries[/ame]. Some select species are even known to exist entirely in polluted water.
The puffer's toxin is called [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrodotoxin"]tetrodotoxin[/ame], or more precisely anhydrotetrodotoxin 4-epitetrodotoxin. It is also found within other animals such as the blue-ringed octopus, [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cone_snail"]cone snail[/ame], and in certain varieties of [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newt"]newt[/ame]. Tetrodotoxin is produced within the puffers by bacteria, which are acquired through food. This means that puffers raised in captivity do not contain tetrodotoxin, and therefore are not poisonous until they come into contact with the bacteria. The puffer itself has immunity to the poison due to a mutation in the protein sequence of the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_ion_channel"]Sodium ion channel[/ame] on the cell membranes.
Tetrodotoxin is an exceptionally lethal poison. Tetrodotoxin is approximately 1,200 times deadlier than [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide"]cyanide[/ame]. In animal studies with mice, 8 μg tetrodotoxin per kilogram of [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_weight"]body weight[/ame] killed 50% of the mice (see also [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LD50"]LD50[/ame]). It is estimated that a single puffer has enough poison to kill 30 adult humans.
oh well
today's 
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