Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) - Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

DMT is extremely dangerous when combined with some drugs prescribed for depression. DMT also reacts badly with amphetaminesPronounced am-FETT-uh-meens; stimulant drugs that increase mental alertness, reduce appetite, and help keep users awake., sedativesA drug used to treat anxiety and calm people down., antihistaminesDrugs that block histamine, a chemical that causes nasal congestion related to allergies., and strong analgesicsPain relievers or the qualities of pain relief.. (An entry on amphetamines is available in this encyclopedia.) It can increase or intensify the side effects of any of these substances. Mixing DMT with drugs from poisonous plants (strychnine or belladonna alkaloids, for example) can be fatal.

Historical Accounts

Use of hallucinogens has been documented in many ancient cultures. DMT use has been more common in the Americas because the toads and plants containing it are widespread in North and South America. Here is a look at some examples from the historical record, both long ago and recent.

  • The skeletons of 10,000 toads were found in an ancient Cherokee Indian burial site in North America.
  • During Christopher Columbus's second voyage to the New World (1493–1496), his naturalist, Friar Ramón Paul, wrote about the Tairo Indians of Haiti. As noted in Paul M. Gahlinger's book Illegal Drugs, the friar observed: "This powder they draw up through the nose and it intoxicates them to such an extent that when they are under its influence, they know not what they do."
  • In 2000, members of the O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal religious sect claimed that the seizure of thirty gallons of hoasca tea by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) violated their right to freedom of religion. As reported by Scott Sandlin in the Albuquerque Journal, their case reached the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals late in 2004, where judges ruled in favor of the church. The tea is considered a sacrament, but its use will be closely monitored by church members and the DEA so that it does not invite abuse by outsiders.

On its own, DMT renders the user unable to judge ordinary situations. For instance, a person high on DMT runs a much greater risk of being involved in an automobile crash (either by driving or walking into traffic) or other injury. The combination of alcohol and DMT further increases the risk of accident or injury.

DMT use has been linked to hyperthermia, or an elevated body temperature. It is dangerous to use the drug in rave situations where a great number of people are crowded into a small space, dancing or milling about. The use of a strong, quick-acting hallucinogen like DMT might also lead to panic or paranoia in a dance club environment. Those who use the drug as part of religious rituals take extreme care to create the most soothing surrounding environment.