PEYOTE OR MESCALINE

Dried cactus buttons eaten whole or pulverized and mixed into drink or food.

Source: A cactus that grows in northwestern Mexico.

Legal code: Illegal, except in the Native American Church.

History: Archaeologists in Central and South America have found evidence showing the use of peyote in drug rituals thousands of years ago. The use of peyote as part of the religious rituals of the Native American Church has been protected by the First Amendment.

Effects: Peyote increases blood pressure and heart rate. It can produce visual distortions and hallucinations or nausea and vomiting. Everyone's experience of this is different, depending on the person, the dose, and the particular situation. Significant mood swings are common. Many people report a sense of detachment from their bodies. Some report deeply spiritual experiences. Effects can last up to 12 hours or more.

Risks: Though peyote is thought to be a "natural" alternative to LSD and other lab-produced hallucinogens, it has many of the same negative side effects, including dangerously impaired judgment and bad trips.

Do not combine with: Stimulants.

Addiction rating: Low.