Peyote

Peyote, Lophophora williamsii, is a small, spineless cactus that grows in clusters in the desert scrub and limestone-rich ground of northern Mexico and south Texas. It contains psychoactive alkaloids, mainly mescaline, at about 0.4 per cent when fresh and up to 6 per cent when dried. It has been used for over 5,000 years by Indigenous peoples of the Americas for ceremonial, spiritual and folk-medicine purposes, and its effects last up to 12 hours. The Native American Church treats eating peyote as a sacrament in all-night healing ceremonies. In Wixarika (Huichol) culture peyote, Hikuri, is one of four principal deities and the soul of their religion. Wild populations in south Texas have declined through over-harvesting, and cultivation, or San Pedro as a substitute, is being explored to ease the pressure. Peyote is a controlled substance in most countries, but many laws, including in Canada and the United States, exempt its use in authentic Native American religious ceremonies.