Mescaline is a potent psychedelic, that has been used for thousands of years by the human race. It occurs naturally in the Peyote cactus, the San Pedro cactus, the Peruvian torch and in a number of other plants from the cacti family.

Evidence suggests, that peyote has been used for at least 5,700 years by Native Americans in Mexico. In this article, we will try to find out what makes this compound special and what the effects one experiences when under the influence of mescaline are.

THE BIG CHIEF

Mescaline is a psychedelic alkaloid of the phenethylamine class, that is very similar to the body's neurotransmitter epinephrine (adrenaline). It is known for its hallucinogenic effects, that are comparable to LSD or psilocybin.

It has a long history of use, Native Americans in South America have been using it for thousands of years in religious ceremonies and rituals and it is still used today for spiritual, religious or recreational purposes.

The German chemist Arthur Heffter was the first to isolate and identify it in 1897, while Ernst Späth was the first one to synthesize mescaline in 1919. In the 60's the use of mescaline was widely spread in the USA by the adherents of the counter culture and synthesized mescaline was easy to come by.

Nowadays it is very hard to find pure mescaline on the streets as it is not very profitable, compared to the new designer drugs, that have flooded the market.

THE EFFECTS OF MESCALINE

There are a couple of ways you can ingest mescaline. Possibly the oldest way is to eat dried cactus „buttons“, that contain mescaline or to brew a tea out of this same cactus and drink it.

However, modern day users may find the taste too bitter to handle and they have access to synthesized mescaline that comes in the form of a powder or powder-filled capsule.

After 1-2 hours have passed from the act of ingesting, most users start to suffer nausea and severe vomiting (you can counteract this by staying sober and not eating anything 6 hours prior to consumption).

Native Americans consider this an inherent and important part of the overall experience. After that, it will take another hour for the desirable effects to kick in.

Once the trip starts, your heart rate will increase, your body temperature will start to rise and your pupils will dilate. These are the physical or external effects that users experience, but what goes on internally is the reason people consume mescaline. The user is now in a state of euphoria and he experiences a sharp change in the perception of time, space, colours, etc.

These states of mind pave the way for a completely new self-awareness and feeling of interconnectedness, with users reporting deep spiritual visions and experiences of complete bliss and ecstasy.

All of this is accompanied by open and closed eye visuals of beautiful complexity. The process of thinking is altered and you experience the external world in a different way, which leads to phenomena such as synesthesia.

The trip can last up to 14 hours while the peak is reached after 3 to 5 hours. Afterwards, you may feel lightheaded or „empty“ for a couple of hours.

As with any drug, you should be cautious about consuming mescaline. Especially considering that it is a psychedelic, which can potentially trigger unwanted things in your mind.

We advise you to have a close friend to trip-sit you and never mix different substances. If you proceed with caution, you're in for a wonderful experience, that can have a great impact on your life.

Ancient Aztec shamans considered the peyote cactus to be the key to the kingdom of nature spirits and gods and not without reason. Treat it with respect and you may learn a thing or two.