Peyote and Mescaline

Current Legal Status Of Peyote And Mescaline

The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 also called the Controlled Substances Act made peyote and mescaline illegal by classifying them as Schedule I controlled substances. Schedule I substances are deemed to have no medical value see Appendix 1 for further description of controlled substance classifications . This law, however, made the NAC exempt from its restrictions, allowing the use of peyote and mescaline for religious purposes.

Medicinal Uses of Peyote

So far, we have discussed peyote and mescaline mostly in the context of their ability to produce intense psychedelic hallucinations. A vast majority of Native American peyote users, however, strongly believe that the peyote cactus and other mescaline-containing plants also have tremendous healing powers that can cure the ills of both the mind and the body. Many Native American cultures view illnesses as having supernatural causes (such as evil spirits), and believe that communication with...

Other Cacti And Plants That Contain The Psychedelic Chemical Mescaline

The peyote cactus is not the only plant that contains mescaline. There are actually numerous plants (mostly cacti) that contain this chemical. Some examples of other mescaline-containing plants include Lophophora diffusa, Trichocereus pachanoi (also called the San Pedro cactus ), and Trichocereus peruvianus (also called the Peruvian Torch ). Even though Lophora diffusa and Trichocereus cacti contain mescaline, they don't necessarily produce the same psychedelic effects as peyote. This is...

History of Peyote and Mescaline Use Ancient and Modern

ANCIENT HISTORY OF PEYOTE AND MESCALINE USE Only sparse details are known about the use of peyote and mescaline prior to the beginning of written history. Since peyote is grown mostly in what is now Mexico and the southwestern United States, it is believed that it was used primarily by local inhabitants of these regions for thousands of years before being introduced to people who lived elsewhere. Archaeological evidence suggests that the peyote cactus has been around for at least 10,000 years....

How Hallucinogens Work In The Brain

In the brain, neurons (nerve cells) carry electrical signals along wire-like nerve fibers called axons. At the end of each axon is a mushroom-shaped nerve ending called a synaptic terminal. Figure 1.3 Data from the year 2001 showing the percentage of youths ages 12-17 who have tried a hallucinogen in their lifetime. Source SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002 and 2003 Axons can range from less than one millimeter to up to several centimeters in length....

What Is A Peyote Ceremony Like

Religious ceremonies that include the use of peyote vary slightly from tribe to tribe and location to location, but in general have various common practices. The ceremonies are traditionally held at night and last for approximately 12 hours. Usually they are open to all ages and both males and females, although some tribes forbid women from participating. Prior to the ceremony, participants often make pilgrimages to the regions where peyote is grown to harvest the cactus plants. In some tribes,...

Duration And Physical Effects Of Mescaline

Depending on the amount taken, mescaline's psychedelic effects can last up to 12 hours, and they usually don't start until a few hours after ingestion of the peyote buttons. This is because mescaline has to be absorbed through the lining of the stomach before it enters the bloodstream and then the brain. Other, more addictive drugs, such as cocaine or heroin, are smoked, snorted, or injected intravenously, allowing them to reach the bloodstream much more quickly . Factors such as the presence...

Mescaline Lsd And Psilocybin Birds Of A Feather

Three of the most common hallucinogenic drugs used today are mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin. Some people insist that these three drugs produce the same psychological effects, and even some experienced users cannot tell the effects of each drug apart. Others, however, believe that the effects produced by psilocybin, LSD, or mescaline are unique. Several key pharmacological differences between these drugs are outlined in the table below the cerebral cortex. This region, which constitutes the bulk...