Peyote

3/31/10

Lophophora williamsii, more commonly known as peyote, is a spineless cactus native to Mexico and the Southwest United States. Peyote contains several psychedelic alkaloids, most notably, mescaline. Mescaline is also found in the San Pedro cactus. The mescaline content in peyote ranges from about .04-6 percent. The part of the cactus growing above the ground, referred to as the “crown”, is made up of disc like buttons. These buttons are usually ingested or brewed into teas. When ingested, peyote can create mental effects, including altered states of feeling and perception. Peyote is described to have dream-like effects and tend to encourage introvert experiences. Peyote is an entheogen, a psychoactive substance used in religious ceremonies. Peyote has been used by indigenous American for religious and medicinal purposes for at least five and a half thousand years. Peyote is prohibited by federal law unless it is part of a “bonafide religious ceremony.” Many authors of the beat generation wrote about their experiences with peyote, including Allen Ginsburg. Ginsburg’s poem “Howl” was said to be inspired by his use of peyote. “A 2005 paper published in Biological Psychiatry outlines research into peyote use conducted by Dr. John Halpern. He found that peyote users scored significantly better than non-users on the "general positive affect" and "psychological well-being" measures of the Rand Mental Health Inventory (RMHI), a standard instrument used to diagnose psychological problems and determine overall mental health. By contrast, alcohol abusers did significantly worse than the control group (non-users) in all measures of the RMHI.”