Peyote

What Is Peyote?

Peyote For Sale (Lophophora williamsii or Lophophora diffusa) is a small, spineless cactus that is found in the southwest United States, northern Mexico, and Peru. The plant has been used for about six thousand years by native tribes for religious and healing purposes.

Peyote’s principal active ingredient is mescaline, a psychedelic compound that can also be man-made through chemical synthesis.

Peyote buttons (protrusions found on the tops of the cactus plants) are usually dried and then chewed. They can also be soaked and consumed as a liquid (such as tea), ground into a powder that can be taken in capsules, or smoked with tobacco or cannabis.

As a Schedule I substance, peyote is considered an illegal and addictive drug in the United States. However, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) Amendments of 1994 gives Native Americans the legal right to use peyote for their religious services.2

The exemption has been an ongoing and contentious issue for years, although case law has determined that even members of the Native American Church who do not have Native American ancestry can legally use peyote in this context.

Also Known As: Peyote is also known as buttons, cactus, mesc, peyoto, blue cap, broken, bad seed, britton, hikori, hikuli, half moon, hyatari, P, nubs, seni, and tops

Drug Class: Peyote is classified as a hallucinogen.

Common Side Effects: Peyote is known to cause nausea and vomiting, increased body temperature, hallucinations, altered perceptions of space and time, impaired motor coordination, euphoria, and anxiety.

Effects of Peyote For Sale

Peyote is a hallucinogen, meaning it can cause profound distortions in a person’s perceptions of reality (known as hallucinations), including seeing, hearing, and feeling things that seem real but are not.

Hallucinogens are thought to affect neural circuits in the brain involving the neurotransmitter serotonin, which plays a role in mood, sensory perception, sleep, hunger, body temperature, sexual behavior, and muscle control.

The effects of peyote (which can range from a deeply mystical transcendental state to a “bad trip” and dysphoric symptoms) will depend on the potency and amount that is ingested, as well as the perons’s expectations, mood, surroundings, and mental health history. Many people describe the high as dream-like.4

The effects are often intensified when the drug is combined with substances like alcohol or stimulants, which can potentially harm a person’s mental health.

The hallucinogenic effects of peyote typically peak around two hours after ingestion, and gradually decline over the next eight to 12 hours.

Some compare the peaks to LSD trips. They may profoundly alter perceptions of self and reality, as well as intensify emotions. The effects are also similar to other hallucinogens like psilocybin (the hallucinogen in magic mushrooms) and PCP

What the Experts Say About Peyote For Sale

According to a 2014 study on the prevalence of peyote use among Native Americans, a fairly large surge in the number of Native Americans who used peyote was seen for roughly four years after the AIRFA passed.

However, researchers believe that the noted increase was likely due to more people admitting to using peyote once it was legal. Since that time, the number has leveled to just under 10%.

Though peyote can cause negative effects, research that has been done indicates that ingesting peyote does not appear to be life-threatening. Most adverse effects of the drug go away in time.

However, the mescaline in peyote is known to be potentially harmful to developing fetuses. If you’re pregnant or think you’re pregnant, you should not use peyote.

Off-Label or Recently Approved Uses

Peyote is classified as a Schedule 1 controlled drug, and its use is illegal in the U.S.

However, peyote has been used by Native Americans for thousands of years in religious ceremonies and to treat physical ailments. There remains an exception for members of the Native American Church.

Peyote and other hallucinogens are also being studied as possible treatments for mental health conditions that are associated with perceptual distortions, including schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and dementia.

Common Peyote Side Effects

The amount of mescaline needed to produce hallucinations is very small—usually 0.3 to 0.5 grams. The effects can last up to 12 hours but will depend on the person’s size, metabolism, and how much they ingested.

The physical effects of peyote are similar to those of LSD and may include:

• Appetite loss
• Difficulty sleeping
• Flushing
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased body temperature
• Increased heart rate
• Numbness
• Profound sweating
• Severe nausea and vomiting
• Uncoordinated movements
• Weakness

Possible mental effects can include:

• Altered awareness
• Altered feelings and perceptions
• Altered sense of time (i.e., it passes slowly or quickly)
• Anxiety
• Euphoria
• Hallucinations
• Inability to focus or concentrate
• Panic
• Paranoia
• Sense of relaxation

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, not much is known about the long-term effects of hallucinogens, including Peyote For Sale. However, it is known that repeated or long-term use of hallucinogens can cause the following effects:

• Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD): About 4% of people who use hallucinogens (including peyote and LSD) develop HPPD. The condition causes flashbacks of hallucinations and visual disturbances that do not go away and can interfere with a person’s daily life. Symptoms can be mistaken for neurological disorders such as a stroke or a brain tumor.
• Prolonged psychosis: Though it is also rare, symptoms of the condition include visual disturbances and scattered thinking, as well as periods of paranoia or mood disturbances.

Signs of Peyote Use

According to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, if a loved one is using peyote, there will be some telltale signs. The following might indicate a person is using peyote:

• Disordered thinking or detachment from reality
• Dry mouth
• Excessive sweating
• Flushed skin
• Loss of appetite
• Panic
• Paranoia
• Sensory confusion (such as “seeing” sounds or “hearing” colors)
• Sleep problems
• Uncoordinated movements