With marijuana and hallucinogen use at an all-time high, peyote is beginning to see market prevalence. Peyote has become a popular psychedelic among consumers and investors, derived from potent psychoactive compounds, particularly in the Southwest United States.
As peyote grows in popularity, more individuals and entities are interested in learning about the legality of peyote. Read on to learn everything you need to know about peyote and its distribution.
Peyote: The Basics
Peyote is a small, spineless cactus that contains mescaline, a hallucinogenic compound with powerful psychoactive effects similar to psilocybin and LSD. Also known by its scientific name Lophophora williamsii or Lophophora diffusa, peyote is sourced from Peru, Mexico, and southwestern parts of the United States like Texas.
Peyote holds spiritual significance in the Native American Church of North America. Native American tribes have used peyote in religious practices like prayer ceremonies for centuries. Today, peyote still plays a significant role in indigenous cultures, particularly among tribes across North America and Western Canada.
The peyote plant possesses protrusions on its tops, commonly called peyote buttons. Consumers can ingest buttons in several forms, the most common being when they are dried and chewed. However, users can also soak buttons and drink them or ground them into a powder for smoking.
Peyote: Side Effects
Given its hallucinogenic makeup, peyote produces strong psychedelic effects. It alters a user’s perceptions of reality, particularly their hearing, seeing, and feeling sensations. Peyote also alters a person’s serotonin levels, affecting their mood, sensory perception, body temperature, muscle control, sleep, hunger, and more.
Below is a comprehensive list of peyote’s potential physical and cognitive side effects
Physical side effects:
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- Trouble sleeping
- Loss of appetite
- High blood pressure
- High heart rate
- High body temperature
- Excessive sweating
- Uncoordinated movements
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weakness
Cognitive side effects:
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- Anxiety
- Hallucinations
- Lack of focus
- Mental relaxation
- Altered perceptions of reality
- Euphoria
- Paranoia
Side effects depend on a person’s size, metabolism, ingested amount, surroundings, mood, and mental health history. Effects will also differ if a user has simultaneously injected other substances like alcohol or stimulants. Users will experience peak effects around two hours after ingestion, following a gradual decline over 8-12 hours.
Peyote: Legality
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classifies peyote as a Schedule I Controlled Substance, labeling the substance illegal and addictive. However, there are some exemptions to this ruling. Under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, Native Americans have the legal right to use peyote for religious services. Because of the use exemption, the DEA licenses certain sellers of peyote. To qualify to sell buttons to members of the Native American Church, DEA registration is a prerequisite.
Along with religious use, peyote also plays a role in scientific studies. Researchers study peyote and other hallucinogens for their ability to help mental health conditions associated with perceptual distortions, including schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and dementia.
The resurgence of peyote popularity is impacting its natural habitat here in Texas. Unlicensed thrill-seeking individuals or poachers who are not experienced with proper cutting preclude regrowth and commercial ranch development continues to threaten the extremely limited native habitat of peyote in Texas. Despite the ongoing threat to the rare cactus, cultivation of the peyote plant is still prohibited in Texas.
Peyote and other alternative drugs have complex origins, side effects, and legalities. Consumers and investors must educate themselves on these complexities to succeed within these markets.
By partnering with trusted alternative substances attorneys like Chelse Spencer, clients gain the counsel necessary to advance in the hemp, CBD, cannabis, and alternative substance industries. Contact Ritter Spencer Cheng or give us a call at 214.295.5070 for more information.
