Mescaline
Mescaline is a hallucinogen. It is the principal active
ingredient of the peyote plant, a cactus. In order to produce the
hallucinogenic feeling, “buttons” located at the top of the plant can be cut,
dried and chewed, or it can be done synthetically. Street terms for this drug
are Mesc, Buttons, Cactus, and Peyote. Mescaline is taken orally and can last
up to 12 hours (DAODAS). Possible
effects of the drug include but are not limited to illusions/hallucinogens,
psychosis, sweating, increased heart rate and blood pressure, nausea, and
impaired coordination. If a user overdoses on mescaline they are likely to
experience longer lasting and more intense effects, and possibly death. There
are no medical uses for this drug (DAODAS).
Mescaline has been used by natives in northern Mexico and southwestern United States for religious purposes. Natives, however, do not abuse this drug and so any study done on them cannot be used to fully understand the effects that mescaline has on abusers (NIDA drugabuse.gov). For abusers and addicts of hallucinogens there are no concrete treatments. Treatment for intoxication and withdrawal usually included some form of sedative, often to help with aggressive behavior. Some medications can be used for addiction treatment to calm the mind and body while going through withdrawal. Therapies are also common to help the patient get past the need or desire for drugs to alter their mind (Recovery Connection).
As shown in the chart above, mescaline is a Schedule I drug in the U.S. This means that there is no medical use for it, it is unsafe to use
even under medical watch, and it has strong potential for abuse (DEA Diversion
Control). Other Drugs that fall under Schedule I are heroin, marijuana, and ecstasy.
The affect that mescaline has on family and society is troublesome. This drug, while being used and while going through withdrawal, can cause very aggressive behavior and severe medical complications. It is not widely used compared to other hallucinogens but it can still have a very negative affect on the community and society. It has high potential for abuse, making this drug very dangerous for anyone who uses it as well as anyone who comes into contact with the user.
References
Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse
Services. Retrieved from http://www.daodas.state.sc.us/profile_peyote-mescaline.asp
National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens-lsd-peyote-psilocybin-pcp
Recovery Connection. Retrieved from
U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved
from http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/index.html#define
Good info!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of Mescaline before yourpost. I am curious as to why it is not more popular.
ReplyDeleteAmanda - Before I reviewed this information, I had never heard of mescaline. I find it interesting that it has completely different uses in different places. In the US, it is illegal, yet in Mexico it is used for sacred purposes. It reminds me of the different uses of alcohol. On the one hand, it can be addicting and destructive, but it is also used in religious ceremonies. This is a reminder that it is not necessarily the substance that is bad, but the way that people use the substance and the predispositions that may lead to addiction.
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