Peyote

Mescaline is the active hallucinogenic ingredient in peyote. Peyote is a small, spineless cactus historically used by natives in Mexico and the southwestern U.S. as part of religious rites. Mescaline can also be produced synthetically.

Street names:

Peyote, Lophophora williamsii, Mescal, Buttons, Big Chief, Mescalito, Cactus, Mesc

Short-term effects:

• Nausea before the desired mental effects appear
• Increased body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure
• Loss of appetite
• Sleeplessness, numbness, weakness and tremors

Effects can be different during each use due to varying potency, the amount ingested, and the user's expectations, mood and surroundings. On some trips, users may experience sensations that are enjoyable. Others can include terrifying thoughts, anxiety, fears of insanity, death, or losing control.

Long-term effects:

Some users experience "flashbacks", or hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD), which are reoccurrences of hallucinations long after ingesting the drug. These effects can occur after a single experience with the drug and cannot be predicted or prevented.