Peyote Is Not Bad For You
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Health Fitness -> subcategory Other.
Peyote: A Safe Hallucinogenic?
Recent studies indicate that peyote, a hallucinogenic cactus used in Native American religious ceremonies, does not pose a risk for brain damage or psychological issues. Research conducted by Harvard's McLean Hospital further revealed that members of the Native American Church who frequently use peyote performed better in psychological tests than other Navajos who did not use it regularly.
Since 1994, peyote has been legally used as a sacrament by the 300,000 members of the Native American Church. Over five years of research concluded that even frequent use of peyote is not harmful.
The study, led by psychiatrist John Halpern, assessed 60 individuals who had used peyote over 100 times. Results were compared with 79 individuals who rarely used peyote and 36 individuals with a history of alcohol abuse. The latter group scored lower on tests. Despite these findings, no direct health benefits from peyote use were established.
Harrison Pope, the study's senior author, pointed out the difficulty in determining whether the positive effects stem from the communal experience or the peyote itself. However, the findings offer reassurance to the 10,000 Native American Church members in the military who were previously restricted from using peyote until guidelines changed in 1997.
Published in the Nov. 4 issue of Biological Psychiatry, the researchers stated, "We find no evidence that a history of peyote use would compromise the psychological or cognitive abilities of these individuals." They emphasized the distinction between religious and illegal use, noting that other hallucinogens like LSD might be more dangerous.
Peyote contains mescaline, which is described as more sensual and perceptual than LSD, with fewer alterations to thought and self-perception. Notably, peyote does not cause flashbacks akin to those associated with LSD.
The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While NIDA did not comment on the study, Lester Grinspoon, a Harvard Medical School psychiatry professor, highlighted the significance of the research, noting the historical reluctance of the U.S. government to allow studies of psychedelic drugs.
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