It is also found in certain members of the Fabaceae (bean family) and can be produced synthetically. It’s likely the popularity of mescaline will continue to increase over the coming years behind DMT, LSD, and magic mushrooms. As the use of psychedelics becomes less taboo, people will undoubtedly start to explore some of the more “unconventional” psychedelics (if you can even call mescaline unconventional). It can take several months for the seeds to sprout, but most growers propagate new plants from cuttings instead — which grow into large plants in just a few years. In the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Thailand, psychoactive cacti have been excluded from the banned substances list.
Mescaline was first discovered by Europeans in the early 16th century after the Spanish conquest of Mexico. The pharmaceutical company Parke-Davis began offering tonics of peyote in 1893 as a cardiac stimulant, bringing the substance to medical attention. Three years later, German chemist Arthur Heffer identified alkaloids from peyote, including mescaline, which were sold to Parke-Davis beginning a series of research experiments into the substance. The mescaline-containing cactus peyote is the sacramental medicine of the Native American Church. For over a century, U.S. federal and state governments variously prohibited and permitted Indigenous use of peyote, with permission finally granted under federal law in 1994 as an amendment to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978. Overall, check your local laws before even thinking about trying peyote or mescaline.
What is the Peruvian Torch Cactus?
Nor is this information, or any journalistic stories, anecdotes, visual or artistic material intended as a replacement or supplement for medical or legal advice. Various psychedelics purchased illegally often are adulterated with other, possibly harmful substances, making it difficult and not advisable to self-medicate for PTSD, anxiety, depression, or for the treatment of other mental health issues. Like with many other psychedelic drugs, mescaline’s potential as a therapeutic substance was studied in the 1950s and 1960s—particularly in combination with LSD.
For example, hordenine is a N,N-dimethyl derivative and has activities in the human body similar to the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Hordenine can cause increased blood pressure, respiration, and heart rate6. Tryptamines such as DMT could be used in combination with mescaline, but this would be an exceptionally intense experience and is generally not recommended for most people. San Pedro, along with other sources of mescaline, is longer lasting than many other classic psychedelics.
Legal Status: Decriminalization of Peyote
To cultivate mescaline, the cactus’s buttons — which grow atop the cactus’s roots — are harvested. Once the buttons dry, they can be powdered to make mescaline capsules or brewed into a tea. Depending on the type, and method of delivery, a mescaline trip can be an emotional rollercoaster.
Aldous Huxley brought this substance to the mainstream public through his iconic book “The Doors of Perception” — which was based mainly on his experience with mescaline. Mescaline has a long history of use by Native Americans in the United States and Mexico as a form of sacrament. These groups have been granted religious access to mescaline-containing cacti under the 1994 American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA). When taking mescaline, it’s advised that you remove hazards, including sharp objects and things you might trip over.
Therapeutic Use
However, it is possible that people who have had negativeexperiences with mescaline might have been less likely to have seen or responded tothe present survey, which could have biased our findings. Additionally, definitivesafety profiles that include the assessments of vital signs, blood pressure, andelectrocardiography (ECG) need to be established in laboratory studies of mescalineadministration. Analyses were conductedusing the IBM SPSS Statistics v.25 and v.26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).
When tripping on mescaline, visual hallucinations may include distorted shapes, geometric patterning, or fluctuating colors. Feelings of being disconnected from reality, deeply connected to the universe, or floating through a dream-like state are also common. Previously forgotten memories may resurface, and painful memories may be resolved. Unlike LSD or psilocybin, mescaline is not as widely known for typically triggering “bad” or “challenging” trips.
- Sounds may appear more resonant, layered, or even synesthetic—where auditory stimuli evoke visual sensations.
- As the psychologist Stanley Krippner put it, “to invent something new, one cannot be completely conditioned or imprinted.”23 Psychedelics like mescaline tend to dissolve preconceptions and elicit fresh perspectives on reality.
- Demographic characteristics of total sample and each subsample based eachof the “most memorable” mescaline experience subgroups.
- But, mescaline does induce some common experiences and effects that can help you prepare for your journey.
- Mescaline, or what chemists call 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine, is an alkaloid that’s commonly found in the peyote cactus, though it’s also found in Peruvian torch, San Pedro, and other cacti, as well.
Exploring the Medical Value of Mescaline
- People often report seeing colors, patterns, mosaics, spirals, and even animal and human shapes.
- The most common side effect of psychoactive mescaline is stomach discomfort, caused by the cactus itself rather than the mescaline.
- The active component was isolated in 1895 by the German chemist Arthur Heffter, who coined the name “mescaline”.
Like most psychedelic hallucinogens, mescaline is not physically addictive; however, it can cause tolerance meaning higher doses are need to achieve the same hallucinogenic effect. Mescaline-containing cacti can induce severe vomiting and nausea, which is an important part to traditional Native-American or Shaman ceremonies and is considered a cleansing ritual and a spiritual aid. The hallucinogenic experience typically begins in 60 minutes after consumption and lasts about 8 to 12 hours. However, different doses can affect people in various ways, and doses extracted from plants can vary widely. In Canada, Germany, and New Zealand, psychoactive cacti are all legal to own as an ornamental plants. The potential to lead to ego death, and side effects like paranoia and anxiety could cause other mental health effects.
Many other phenethylamine psychedelics share this effect, including DXM, PCP, 2C-B, 2C-E, and MDMA. Even small doses of DMT are powerfully psychoactive and can warp our interpretation of the world around us. Mescaline was first synthesized in 1919 by Ernst Späth — a famous Austrian chemist who studied plant extracts. Of the 120 compounds Spath and his mescaline experience team discovered, mescaline was, by far, the most impactful.
Artists such as Salvador Dali and Henri Michaux are reported to have experimented with mescaline, while writers such as Aldous Huxley and Carlos Castaneda have written extensively about their experiences with the drug. People with mental disorders such as schizophrenia, manic-depression, or other conditions that can cause psychosis may want to avoid mescaline or peyote, too. Creating a positive and beneficial mescaline trip involves careful planning and preparation.
In addition, peyote has been medically used for toothaches, rheumatism, asthma, and even cold symptoms. Oftentimes, peyote is believed to cure physiological problems such as animal bites, digestive problems, and chronic pain. The effects of San Pedro are mainly caused by the hallucinogenic alkaloid mescaline, though other alkaloids contribute to a unique entourage effect. Understanding the possible side effects—both physical and emotional—is essential for anyone considering its use. Archeological evidence for the ritualistic use of mescaline-containing cacti dates back to over 5000 years.. The use of mescaline in these rituals was believed to facilitate communication with the gods and provide access to divine knowledge.
Pure mescaline is usually available as a white or brownish crystalline powder, either loose or packed into capsules as a pill. However, compared to other psychedelics, mescaline extraction tends to be rare in most parts of the world. This psychedelic guide was originally written by Third Wave, a platform that inspires cultural awakening through personal transformation. The book is written by French writer Antonin Artaud, who shares his extensive experiences with peyote in Mexico. Mescaline experiences begin with intense physical symptoms that may cause discomfort to users.
If you choose to consume mescaline, it’s essential to do so in a safe and controlled setting, preferably with a sober friend or a guide who can help you navigate the experience. While tripping on mescaline, psychonauts and ceremonial participants should ensure they’ve got some friends nearby to monitor them. “Babysitters” of this sort should, ideally, be sober at the time, so anyone undergoing the psychedelic experience can receive proper, grounded guidance during the trip. Mescaline, or what chemists call 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine, is an alkaloid that’s commonly found in the peyote cactus, though it’s also found in Peruvian torch, San Pedro, and other cacti, as well. Polydrug use is a term for the use of more than one drug or type of drug at the same time or one after another. Polydrug use can involve both illicit drugs and legal substances, such as alcohol and medications.
Ketamine and most of the other synthetic phenethylamine drugs have a strong dissociative effect — which is something not commonly experienced while under the effects of mescaline. In modern times, self-experimenters around the world are reporting a much wider range of benefits, including personal insights, mood enhancement, increased empathy and creativity, lifestyle changes, and even lucid dreams. Mescaline has long been considered a powerful agent for healing and change, making it a central component of the shamanic ceremonies of many indigenous groups in the Americas. For many, a mescaline journey offers deep insight into the self and the universe, giving one a greater sense of connection and spirituality.
Some parts of the US have recently moved to decriminalize natural psychedelics. If you search “mescaline addiction,” — you’ll find a variety of rehab centers highlighting the addictive nature of psychoactive cacti — but there’s zero evidence to support this idea. The most common side-effect was agitation and tachycardia (rapid heart rate). The average-sized human (140 lbs) would need nearly 60,000 milligrams of mescaline. While there are side effects, there have never been any reported deaths caused by mescaline directly. It’s often combined with psychedelics during ceremonial use to help guide the user through their trip safely.
In general, even where it’s legal to grow San Pedro, peyote, and other mescaline-containing plants, it is illegal to consume them and especially to extract the mescaline. This guide will walk you through the process and how to best use the healing potential of psychedelics in a safe, intentional way to heal depression. Peyote and pure mescaline are illegal in the vast majority of countries.Unlike Peyote, San Pedro cactus is completely legal to buy and grow in most countries if you have no intent to consume or sell the substance. It is technically illegal in most countries to grow the cactus for its psychoactive effects but whether or not anyone cares is a different story.In some countries, you can possess a small amount of the substance without getting into legal trouble.