What is the Peyote Cactus and is it Legal?

Peyote (lophophora williamsii) is a small, round cactus well known for its psychedelic effects. But what are the benefits and risk of this mescaline-containing cactus, and is it legal to consume? Rhianna Quanstrom explores the power, potential and drawbacks of peyote. 

 

Peyote is a small, round, spineless cactus famously known for its psychedelic effects. It is native to parts of Mexico and the southwestern United States. 

While it is commonly referred to as a hallucinogen and even a drug, peyote is a sacred ceremonial plant for the Indigenous peoples of North America. To them, it is not a recreational drug, but a living spirit who opens them to communion with the Divine.

 

Given its cultural complexity, let's explore its origins, benefits, risks, and what to expect if you decide to journey with peyote.  

 

Origins of Peyote

Peyote (lophophora williamsii) is a native cactus of the desert, with most species growing in Northern Mexico from Chihuahua to Nuevo León and south to San Luis Potosí. In the United States, it grows in a limited range in southwestern Texas. 

Despite its geographic range, peyote is used as a sacred ceremonial plant by Indigenous tribes throughout Mexico, the United States, and Canada. It is one of the oldest known hallucinogens, and its use dates back to prehistoric times. The people of Mesoamerica have been using peyote for more than 5,000 years. 

Sacred cactus: flowering peyote 

Peyote has a rich history filled with myth and spiritual symbolism that is still honored today. It’s believed that a sacred blue deer led the people to the peyote medicine. Traditionally, harvesting peyote is referred to as “the hunt,” and the first peyote cactus found is shot with an arrow. Because of this symbolism, peyote is strongly associated with deer, and hoof rattles and antlers are common aspects of a peyote ceremony. 

Historically, it was used by the Aztecs and Mayans, and is currently used in rituals and ceremonies by the Tarahumara, Tepehuán, and Huichol peoples of Mexico. In the United States, it is most commonly used by the Navajo and Comanche peoples. That said, it is also a significant part of the Native American Church (NAC), which uses peyote for religious purposes. 

Peyote is protected under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, so it is legal for Indigenous peoples and members of the NAC to use peyote. Outside of those limitations, peyote (and its active constituent mescaline) is a Schedule I drug according to the DEA. As such, it is illegal for non-Indigenous people in the United States to use peyote. 

 

How Do You Take Peyote? 

Peyote is traditionally harvested and eaten fresh or dried and brewed as a tea. When dried, it is ground down into a powder before steeping. 

Peyote contains more than 60 hallucinogenic alkaloids of the phenylethylamine family, including the active constituent mescaline. According to the study Hallucinogenic drugs in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, “Mescaline is found within mescal buttons [peyote] at concentrations ranging from 1% to 6% and the minimum hallucinogenic dose is between 0.3 and 0.5g, equivalent to 5g of dried peyote. The typical dose is 4-12 buttons that are extracted from the main stem and cut into slices.” 

 

“Peyote is a small, round, spineless cactus famously known for its psychedelic effects. It is native to parts of Mexico and the southwestern United States.”

Because of the limited studies available on peyote, it is not fully understood how it affects the body, especially when taken as the whole plant rather than an isolated compound. However, studies do show that the active constituent mescaline affects the body by interacting with the 5-HT2A receptors in the brain.

According to Medical News Today, these receptors are involved in how the body uses serotonin. Because other hallucinogens (LSD and psilocybin, for example) also target those receptors, it is likely that they are responsible for the psychedelic experience. 

 

How Long Does Peyote Last?

After ingestion, it can take about 30 minutes to an hour before peyote starts to take effect and can last up to 12 hours. How peyote affects an individual depends on many factors, including how much they consumed, how they ingested it, their constitution, whether other substances were ingested (such as tobacco), and what they ate beforehand. 

 

What to Expect When Taking Peyote 

While every psychedelic experience is unique, there is the possibility of hallucinations and seeing visions, both inwardly and outwardly. Many journeyers report colorful kaleidoscopic visions; altered perceptions of reality, including time and space; as well as sensations of weightlessness. 

While hallucinations and visions are common, they are not guaranteed, as it depends on the dose and that individual's unique experience. For example, author Tash Doherty, who took peyote in the Mexican desert, claimed that her journey focused on her ancestral line and that she cried through most of the night. This is one of the realizations she came to during her experience: 

“I got a very strong sense that right now, each of us that is alive is the sharpest point in the spear. We are the pinnacle of the culmination of everything that our ancestors have lived through and experienced and survived before us, which is an astounding and incredible thing. And soon, we will no longer be the sharpest point in the spear. But we will have carried the energy forward, and we will have been grateful that we were able to live at all.”

 

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Similarly, another woman named Anna Heimkreiter, artist and editor of Where Wonder Waits, who took peyote in the Mexican wilderness, shared: 

“That time, a way stronger Peyote experience than the ones before, was when I truly understood what the medicine was trying to tell me. Underneath a sky full of stars that felt so close as if we could touch them, I felt my inner light as I never had before.

"I started to comprehend that there was no darkness within me that I needed to fear. What I discovered underneath the worries of my mind was a soul full of joy. And it was that pure joy and light that streamed from my chest into every last corner of my body that night. The message had come home. I am light and I am here to share it with the world.” 

 

“Peyote is traditionally harvested and eaten fresh or dried and brewed as a tea. When dried, it is ground down into a powder before steeping.”

Any psychedelic experience you have with the peyote cactus is likely to be powerful and potentially transformative. Because of this, it’s important to approach such experiences with respect, honor, and intention. 

Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) contains the active compound mescaline

Not all psychedelic experiences are enjoyable, and there’s potential to have a “bad trip” on peyote. Like other hallucinogens, it will show you what you need to see — no matter how difficult that may be. Because of this, it’s essential to experience a medicine as powerful as this in a ceremonial way. It is best to be in a safe, well-held container with an experienced facilitator who can help guide and support you if your journey turns difficult. 

 

Risks of Peyote 

The most common side effects of peyote are nausea and vomiting. Additionally, it has also been reported to temporarily cause: 

• Pupil dilation 
• Excessive sweating 
• High blood pressure
• Increased heart rate 
• Trembling or shivering
• Headaches 
• Chills 
• Fever 
• Muscle weakness 
• Tension 

 

If you’re considering taking peyote, you should talk to your doctor beforehand, especially if you’re on medication, have high blood pressure, or have a history of heart problems. 

Because peyote is classified as an illegal substance in the United States, many reports incorrectly claim that peyote is unsafe. Some articles say that it can cause persistent psychosis or that people can become dependent on it.

However, the National Library of Medicine states: “Most peyote intoxications appear to be mild in nature and are unlikely to produce life-threatening symptoms.” This report also stated that “no evidence of long-term psychological or cognitive problems related to peyote use among the Native American Church ceremonies, [and] peyote use in a religious context does not appear to be associated with hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (i.e., “flashbacks”), dependence, or addiction. 

 

“Any psychedelic experience you have with the peyote cactus is likely to be powerful and potentially transformative. Because of this, it’s important to approach such experiences with respect, honor, and intention.”

Furthermore, recreational use of peyote is rare. A report found that only 1-2% of the non-Indigenous population in the United States has used peyote. Most peyote is consumed in a ceremonial setting, which helps prevent overdosing or extreme reactions. In addition, studies show that many people have positive experiences with peyote when it is held in a spiritual container. 

 

Benefits of Peyote 

Because of peyote’s psychedelic effects, there is potential for deep healing, insights, and spiritual awakening during a journey. Powerful plant medicines like peyote can completely transform someone's life for the better.

Besides the spiritual benefits, studies show that mescaline – the active constituent of peyote – is useful for the treatment of: 

• Depression
• Anxiety 
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Headaches
• Alcoholism

 

A study by the National Library of Medicine reported that peyote has been used successfully in alleviating alcohol withdrawal symptoms and helps prevent alcohol relapse. 

Physically, peyote is commonly used by Indigenous peoples to support and treat: 

• Pain during childbirth
• Toothaches
• Breast pain
• Rheumatism
• Skin diseases
• Diabetes 
• Colds

 The legality of peyote depends on where you live in the world

 

Is Peyote Legal?

As mentioned above, peyote is illegal in the United States, except for religious use by Native Americans. Peyote is legal elsewhere in the world, but there may still be restrictions in place. 

Here are the countries where it is legal: 

• Canada
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Peru
• Portugal
• Slovenia
• Sweden
• Thailand
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom

 

Takeaway: Using the Peyote Cactus

Peyote is a sacred plant medicine that has been used in ceremony for thousands of years. It is a culturally significant plant to the Indigenous peoples of Mexico and the United States, who use it for healing and communing with the Divine. 

While modern science is beginning to uncover its therapeutic potential, the ancient peoples of Mesoamerica and modern Indigenous tribes know how truly valuable and healing peyote is. Whether it be spiritually or physically, this small and unassuming cactus has the potential to transform your life and shift your perception of reality. 

If you are curious about trying peyote, we recommend seeking out a ceremonial container so that the medicine can be used appropriately and respectfully. ●

Images: shutterstock/Raul Luna, shutterstock/jiraporn Suhom, shutterstock/Gleti

Written by Rhianna Quanstrom

Rhianna Quanstrom is a freelance writer, herbalist, and spiritual seeker with a passion for nature-based healing and sacred wisdom. Her writing draws from years of experience with meditation, shamanic practices, plant medicine, dream work, and the reclamation of the Sacred Feminine. Discover more of her writing and poetry on her Mystic Love Substack.