270 Mescaline
experiment reported tolerance. Evidence exists for tolerance in animals and
humans who receive the drug daily, but such tolerance dissipates quickly once
the drug is stopped; two or three days later a dose can produce the same level
of effects as before. Dependence does not seem to occur.
Drug interactions.Not enough scientific information to report.
Cancer.Not enough scientific information to report.
Pregnancy.The drug will pass into the fetus of a pregnant monkey. In ham-
sters mescaline has caused birth defects and delayed development of bone
structures, along with reducing the number of offspring in litters. Human birth
defects are suspected.
Additional information.“Mescal” is both a nickname for mescaline and the
name of an alcoholic beverage; they are different substances.
Additional scientific information may be found in:Adlaf, E.M., et al. “Nonmedical Drug Use among Adolescent Students: Highlights from
the 1999 Ontario Student Drug Use Survey.”CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association
Journal162 (2000): 1677–80.
Hermle, L., et al. “Mescaline-Induced Psychopathological, Neuropsychological, and
Neurometabolic Effects in Normal Subjects: Experimental Psychosis as a Tool
for Psychiatric Research.”Biological Psychiatry32 (1992): 976–91.
Hoch, P.H., J.P. Cattel, and H.H. Pennes. “Effects of Mescaline and Lysergic Acid (D-
LSD-25).”American Journal of Psychiatry108 (1952): 579–84.
Hollister, L.E., and A.M. Hartman. “Mescaline, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and Psi-
locybin: Comparison of Clinical Syndromes, Effects on Color Perception and
Biochemical Measures.”Comprehensive Psychiatry3 (1962): 235–42.
Huxley, A.The Doors of Perception, and Heaven and Hell. New York: Harper and Row,
1963.
Kapadia, G.J., and M.B.E. Fayez. “Peyote Constituents: Chemistry, Biogenesis, and Bio-
logical Effects.”Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences59 (1970): 1699–1727.
Unger, S.M. “Mescaline, LSD, Psilocybin and Personality Change.”Psychiatry: Journal
for the Study of Interpersonal Processes26 (May 1963): 111–25.