| Marijuana,
PCP, and the "designer drugs" are often categorized
as "hallucinogens" and are all discussed in
separate sections of this work. Marijuana and PCP are
in the current testing system. The other commonly abused
hallucinations are Mushrooms, LSD, and Peyote. Although
PCP is probably much less often abused, it is the ONLY
"true hallucinogen" in the federally mandated
testing program... probably because it is easy and cheap
to test for.
HALLUCINOGENS
Naturally Occuring Hallucinogens include
Peyote (Mescaline) Psilocybin & Psilocyn,
The "Peyote Cactus" and
"Peyote cactus (cut surface) with capsule ready
for sale" PEYOTE [Mescaline]
Peyote is a small, spineless cactus, Lophophora williamsii,
whose principal active ingredient is the hallucinogen
mescaline. From earliest recorded time, peyote has been
used by natives in northern Mexico and the southwestern
United States as a part of traditional religious rites.
The top of the cactus above ground--also referred to
as the crown--consists of disc-shaped buttons that are
cut from the roots and dried. These buttons are generally
chewed or soaked in water to produce an intoxicating
liquid. The hallucinogenic dose for mescaline is about
0.3 to 0.5 grams (equivalent to about 5 grams of dried
peyote) and lasts about 12 hours. While peyote produced
rich visual hallucinations which were important to the
native peyote cults, the full spectrum of effects served
as a chemically induced model of mental illness. Mescaline
can be extracted from peyote or produced synthetically.
DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE [DMT]
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) has a long history of use
worldwide as it is found in a variety of plants and
seeds, and can also be produced synthetically. It is
ineffective when taken orally unless combined with another
drug that inhibits its metabolism. Generally it is sniffed,
smoked or injected. The effective hallucinogenic dose
in humans is about 50 to 100 milligrams and lasts for
about 45 to 60 minutes. Because the effects last only
about an hour, the experience was called a "businessman's
trip."
A number of other hallucinogens have very similar structures
and properties to those of DMT, Diethyltryptamine (DET),
for example, is an analogue of DMT and produces the
same pharmacological effects but is somewhat less potent
than DMT. Alpha-ethyltryptamine (AET) is another tryptamine
hallucinogen recently added to the list of Schedule
I substances in the CSA.
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is the most potent
and highly studied hallucinogen known to man. It was
originally synthesized in 1938 by Dr. Albert Hoffman,
but its hallucinogenic effects were unknown until 1943
when Hoffman accidently consumed some LSD. It was later
found that an oral dose of as little as 0.025 mg (or
25 micrograms, equal to a few grains of salt) was capable
of producing rich and vivid hallucinations.
Because of its structural similarity to a chemical
present in the brain and its similarity in effects to
certain aspects of psychosis, LSD was used as a research
tool to study mental illness. Although there was a decline
in its illicit use from its initial popularity in the
1960s, LSD is making a comeback in the 1990s. The average
effective oral dose is from 20 to 80 micrograms with
the effects of higher doses lasting for 10 to 12 hours.
LSD is usually sold in the form of impregnated paper
(blotter acid), tablets (microdots), or thin squares
of gelatin (window panes).
Physical reactions may include dilated pupils, lowered
body temperature, nausea, "goose bumps," profuse
perspiration, increased blood sugar and rapid heart
rate. During the first hour after ingestion, the user
may experience visual changes with extreme changes in
mood. In the hallucinatory state, the user may suffer
impaired depth and time perception, accompanied by distorted
perception of the size and shape of objects, movements,
color, sound, touch and the user's own body image. During
this period, the user's ability to perceive objects
through the senses is distorted. He may describe "hearing
colors" and "seeing sounds." The ability
to make sensible judgements and see common dangers is
impaired, making the user susceptible to personal injury.
He may also injure others by attempting to drive a car
or by operating machinery.
Afte an LSD "trip," the user may suffer acute
anxiety or depression for a variable period of time.
Flashbacks have been reported days or even months after
taking the last dose.
PSILOCYBIN & PSILOCYN ["mushrooms"]
The two photos above show the psilocybin mushroom
in it's natural state
Psilocybin and psilocyn are both chemicals obtained
from certain mushrooms found in Mexico and Central America.
Like peyote, the mushrooms have been used in native
rites for centuries. Dried mushrooms contain about 0.2
to 0.4 percent psilocybin and only trace amounts of
psilocyn. The hallucinogenic dose of both substances
is about 4 to 8 milligrams or about 2 grams of mushrooms
with effects lasting for about six hours. Both psilocybin
and psilocyn can be produced synthetically.
[Abstracted from D.E.A. website q.v.]
| HALLUCINOGENS
|
| Methods
of Abuse and Effects |
The effects of hallucinogens are
unpredictable. They depend on the amount taken,
the user's personality, mood and expectations and
the suroundings in which the drug is used. Experienced
users all report that dose is critical! Abusers
report very pleasant efffects (increased and pleasurably
distorted perception) at low doses but very unpleasant
effects at higher doses! Usually, the user feels
the first effects of the drug 30-90 minutes after
taking it. These effects include dilated pupils,
higher body temperature, increased heart rate and
blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness,
dry mouth and tremors. The user may feel several
emotions at once or swing rapidly from one emotion
to another.
Depending on the dose, the drug can produce delusions
and visual hallucinations which can be frightening
and cause panic! Users refer to these acute adverse
reactions as a "bad trip," and the effects
typically last for about twelve hours.
The most commonly used hallucinogen is LSD. The
most common medium is that of "blotters."
Liquid LSD is absorbed into a large (usually decorated)
blotter which allows buyers to purchase doses
of the drug by purchasing small squares of the
blotter. Other forms of impregnable paper is also
used. Several doses of LSD can be easily concealed
in a small piece of paper.
 
LSD is shown above in it's most
common street forms: a blotter (l), sugar cubes,
and pills"
Use of this drug is growing rapidly
and the purity is much higher today than in past
decades. LSD does not produce compulsive drug
seeking behavior like cocaine or alcohol. LSD
produces tolerance (tachyphylaxis) so that users
who take the drug repeatedly must take progressively
higher doses to achieve a given state of intoxication.
This is an extremely dangerous practice, given
the unpredictability of the drug..... and can
result in increased risk of convulsions, coma,
heart failure and even death!
The drugs can produce unpredictable erratic and
violent types of behavior in users. Drownings,
burns, falls, and crashes have been reported.
In 1991, over 800 hospital emergency room visits
and approximately 110 deaths were associated with
the use of hallucinogen
|
| Incidence
of Abuse |
| Expect to see Mushroom & LSD abuse in middle
& high schools! Mushrooms (Psilocybin) Very
commonly abused, and grown, by young abusers.
L.S.D.: Very commonly sold & abused.
Testing rare because of expense and unreliability.
PEYOTE & MESCALINE: somewhat less frequent
because not synthesized & difficult to procure.
|
| Chemical
Name |
| See discussion above |
| Forms
and Street Names |
Psilocybin = "Mushrooms,"
LSD = Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Peyote, and mescaline.
Mushrooms are referred to as "'shrooms."
Almost all abuse is oral |
|
