Peyote & Mescaline

Peyote & Mescaline

Peyote is a small, spineless cactus. The active ingredient
in peyote is the hallucinogen mescaline.

From earliest recorded time, peyote has been used by natives
in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States as
a part of their religious rites. Mescaline can be extracted
from peyote or produced synthetically.

What are common street names?
Common street names include:
Buttons, Cactus, Mesc, and Peyoto

What does it look like?
The top of the peyote cactus is referred to as the “crown” and
consists of disc-shaped buttons that are cut off.

How is it abused?
The fresh or dried buttons are chewed or soaked in water to
produce an intoxicating liquid. Peyote buttons may also be
ground into a powder that can be placed inside gelatin capsules
to be swallowed, or smoked with a leaf material such as cannabis
or tobacco.

What is its effect on the mind?
Abuse of peyote and mescaline will cause varying degrees of:
Illusions, hallucinations, altered perception of space and
time, and altered body image

Users may also experience euphoria, which is sometimes
followed by feelings of anxiety.

What is its effect on the body?
Following the consumption of peyote and mescaline, users
may experience:
Intense nausea, vomiting, dilation of the pupils, increased
heart rate, increased blood pressure, a rise in body temperature
that causes heavy perspiration, headaches, muscle
weakness, and impaired motor coordination

Which drugs cause similar effects?
Other hallucinogens like LSD, psilocycbin (mushrooms),
and PCP

What is its legal status in the United States?
Peyote and mescaline are Schedule I substances under the
Controlled Substances Act, meaning that they have a high
potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in
treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety
for use under medical supervision.

SOURCE: A DEA Resource Guide 2017 Edition