Mescaline - Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

Native peoples believed that physical illness was a reflection of a spiritual problem. Their shamans, or medicine men, treated the body and spirit together in ways that blended spiritual beliefs and practices with herbal remedies. Those who came from the peyote cultures considered peyote to be a powerful medicine. It was used in a variety of ways, from grinding the root to make a paste for sore joints, to using the buttons to help combat depression and alcoholism. The use of alcohol became a serious problem for many Native Americans after their way of life was disrupted by white settlers, who forced them off their lands and on to reservations. The alcohol brought by white settlers was also new to native peoples, so their bodies were unaccustomed and more susceptible to the effects of alcohol.

Western researchers became interested in the possible uses of mescaline as soon as they became aware of it. By the late 1800s, people were already working to find ways that mescaline and other hallucinogens might be useful in understanding and treating insanity. By the 1960s, interest in the possible beneficial uses of mind-altering drugs was at its peak. It was hoped that mescaline, along with human-made hallucinogens such as LSD, might be able to treat depression, autism, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and other mental illnesses. Yet, no

Peyote is a part of religious rituals for some Native Americans. Once consumed in tepees (like those shown here), the practice dates back many years. The hallucinations caused by peyote consumption are said to be visions or messages from spirit
Peyote is a part of religious rituals for some Native Americans. Once consumed in tepees (like those shown here), the practice dates back many years. The hallucinations caused by peyote consumption are said to be visions or messages from spirits who would help users understand themselves and their place in the world. © Corbis.

definite use for them was ever found, and all legal research came to a halt in 1970 when the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act ruled that such substances have no known use in medicine. Nevertheless, during the 1990s there was some renewed interest in studying the effects of peyote after testimony was given before the U.S. Congress. At that time, advocates of peyote talked about its use in treating alcoholism among the Native American population.

The Huichol and Tarahumara Indians of Mexico still use peyote in religious ceremonies. Here, a group of Tarahumara Indians participates in traditional games and dances. Phil Schermeister/Corbis.
The Huichol and Tarahumara Indians of Mexico still use peyote in religious ceremonies. Here, a group of Tarahumara Indians participates in traditional games and dances. © Phil Schermeister/Corbis.