DMT
DMT, or N,N-dimethyltryptamine, is a naturally occurring hallucinogenic compound found in various plants, particularly in the American tropics, as well as in trace amounts in humans and other animals. It can be ingested as a tea, smoked with marijuana, snorted, or injected. While DMT has historical roots in Indigenous religious practices in Central and South America, it gained recognition in the 1960s as a popular hallucinogen. Despite its illegal status as a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States, the compound has been the subject of increased interest, particularly for its potential therapeutic benefits in mental health treatment, such as for major depressive disorder. DMT is known for its rapid onset of effects, typically within ten minutes, and a short duration of action, which has led to its nickname, "businessman's special." Use among American adults has notably risen in recent years, reflecting a broader acceptance of hallucinogens in mental health contexts. However, usage can lead to a range of physical and psychological effects, including anxiety, hallucinations, and in some cases, severe health risks at high doses.
DMT
ALSO KNOWN AS: Businessman’s special; N,N-dimethyltryptamine
DEFINITION: DMT is a naturally occurring compound with hallucinogenic properties. It is also produced synthetically.
STATUS: Illegal except for use in controlled research; no approved medical indication in the United States (US)
CLASSIFICATION: Schedule I controlled substance in the US; Schedule III drug in Canada
SOURCE: Found in several plants, especially in the American tropics, and in trace amounts in humans and other animals. Its natural function in the human body has not been determined. Structurally, it is analogous to the neurotransmitter serotonin.
TRANSMISSION ROUTE: Ingested as a tea or mixed with marijuana and smoked; also snorted and, when liquefied, injected
History of Use
Europeans who first arrived in the Caribbean and Central and South America came into contact with Indigenous peoples who used DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) derived from plants to induce hallucinations as part of their religious experience. The explorers tried to suppress these practices, which persisted, often in secretive settings.
DMT was first synthesized in a laboratory in 1931 by chemist Richard Manske. It gained popularity as a drug of abuse in the counterculture of the 1960s. In 2006, the US Supreme Court ruled in Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao Do Vegetal that a Brazilian church in the US could import and use hoasca, a tea containing DMT, for their religious ceremonies, saying that the practice is protected by the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act. According to the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the use of DMT in the US has increased from roughly 688,000 users in 2006 to more than 1.4 million in 2012. In 2015, some 1.2 million American teenagers and adults were using hallucinogens of any kind, including DMT. By 2022, approximately 8.5 million people in the US reported using hallucinogens in the past year. This sharp rise, especially among people aged twenty-six, reflected the growing acceptance of hallucinogens in legitimate mental health practices. Although not the most common hallucinogenic, DMT has also seen a rise in use.
Effects and Potential Risks
DMT is the shortest acting of commonly abused hallucinogens. Its effects are evident within ten minutes, peak at about thirty minutes, and usually end within an hour. Hence, the street name "businessman’s special."
Physical effects of DMT abuse include increased blood pressure and heart rate, agitation, dizziness, nystagmus (involuntary rapid eye movement), and loss of coordination. At high doses, seizures and respiratory arrests have occurred. Psychological effects of DMT abuse include intense visual hallucinations, depersonalization, auditory distortions, and altered sense of time and body image. DMT causes anxiety attacks far more frequently than the hallucinogen LSD (acid) does.
DMT has found a legitimate use in the mental health care field. Although its use is still in the early stages and more studies are necessary, DMT has shown promise for treating major depressive disorder.
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