Mescaline
Mescaline is a classic psychedelic compound primarily derived from the peyote cactus, traditionally used by various Indigenous tribes in North America for spiritual and ceremonial purposes. The compound was first isolated in 1897 by German chemist Arthur Heffter and has since been recognized for its powerful psychotropic effects. Historically, mescaline was utilized in religious contexts to induce altered states of consciousness, facilitate mystical experiences, and promote spiritual cleansing. In the early 20th century, the establishment of the Native American Church legitimized its use in rituals, although recreational use surged during the counterculture movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
Despite its historical and cultural significance, mescaline has been classified as a Schedule I substance in the United States since the early 1970s, limiting its legal use primarily to rituals within the Native American Church. The compound primarily acts by binding to serotonin receptors, leading to vivid visual hallucinations and significant alterations in sensory perception, thought processes, and mood. However, users may also experience negative physical effects, including nausea and anxiety, and long-term use poses potential mental health risks. Overall, mescaline's complex profile highlights its deep cultural roots alongside the caution warranted due to its powerful effects.
Subject Terms
Mescaline
Also known as: Buttons; cactus; mesc; peyote
Definition: Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychedelic with mind-altering properties. It is structurally related to amphetamine but has mental effects similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
Status: Illegal in the United States and worldwide
Classification: Schedule I controlled substance
Source: Exists naturally in the mushroom-like crown or buttons of the peyote cactus, Lophophora williamsii, and can be produced synthetically
Transmission route: Chewed or swallowed, soaked in water and ingested as an intoxicating drink, or dried and ground into powder and smoked, or made into capsules and tablets
History of Use
Mescaline, named after the Mescalero Apaches, is a classic psychedelic drug with a long history of use worldwide. It was first isolated from the peyote cactus by a German chemist named Arthur Heffter in 1897.
Mescaline-containing cacti were traditionally used by American Indian tribes in religious ceremonies to treat physical and spiritual ailments, to alter states of consciousness, to generate mystical visions, and to induce spiritual cleansing through nausea and vomiting. In the early twentieth century the establishment of the Native American Church (NAC) legitimized the use of psychoactive cacti in ritual ceremonies.
In 1919, mescaline became one of the first natural hallucinogens to be produced synthetically. During the hippie movement in the 1960s and 1970s, the use of mescaline as a recreational drug became extensive because of its mind-expanding properties. Mescaline use has been illegal in the United States since the early 1970s, with the exception of use in NAC ritual ceremonies. Mescaline is a schedule I hallucinogen because of its high abuse potential and its lack of legitimate medical use.
Effects and Potential Risks
Mescaline is most commonly known for its powerful psychotropic effects. Although its chemical structure does not resemble that of LSD, it acts similarly. Its hallucinogenic effects are caused by its binding to serotonin receptors in the brain and inducing numerous behavioral and perceptual changes.
Mescaline’s short-term psychological effects are related to increased serotonin levels. Mescaline alters sensory, time, and space perceptions and thought processes and mood. It induces intense visual hallucinations of enhanced color and detail followed by euphoric dreamlike states, giving the illusion of having an out-of-body experience. Negative short-term physical effects include nausea, vomiting, sweating, dizziness, headache, anxiety, and tachycardia (rapid heartbeat).
Mescaline’s hallucinogenic effects are known as trips. Users experience good trips resulting from pleasurable images or bad trips resulting from disturbing images. Some users experience a blending of the senses called synesthesia. Long-term use can potentially lead to mental health problems, including drug-induced psychosis and hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder known as flashbacks.
Bibliography
Brands, Bruna, et al. Drugs and Drug Abuse. Addiction Research, 1998.
Cunningham, Nicola. “Hallucinogenic Plants of Abuse.” Emergency Medicine Australasia, vol. 20, no. 2, 2008, pp. 167–74.
Ellens, J. Harold, and Thomas B. Roberts, editors. The Psychadelic Policy Quagmire: Health, Law, Freedom, and Society. Praeger, 2015.
Fantegrossi, William E., et al. “The Behavioral Pharmacology of Hallucinogens.” Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 75, no. 1, 2008, pp. 17–33.
Labate, Beatriz Caiuby, and Clancy Cavnar, editors. Peyote: History, Tradition, Politics, and Conservation. Praeger, 2016.
Websites of Interest
National Institute on Drug Abuse
http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/hallucinogens.html
Native American Church
http://www.nativeamericanchurches.org