Mescaline, or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine, is a naturally occurring psychedelic alkaloid of the phenethylamine class, known for its hallucinogenic effects similar to those of LSD and psilocybin.
It occurs naturally in the peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii), the San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) and in the Peruvian torch (Echinopsis peruviana), and as well in a number of other members of the Cactaceae plant family. It is also found in small amounts in certain members of the Fabaceae (bean) family, including Acacia berlandieri.
Peyote has been used for at least 5700 years by Native Americans in Mexico. Europeans noted use of peyote in Native American religious ceremonies upon early contact, notably by the Huichols in Mexico. Other mescaline-containing cacti such as the San Pedro have a long history of use in South America, from Peru to Ecuador.
In traditional peyote preparations, the top of the cactus is cut off, leaving the large tap root along with a ring of green photosynthesizing area to grow new heads. These heads are then dried to make disc-shaped buttons. Buttons are chewed to produce the effects or soaked in water to drink. However, the taste of the cactus is bitter, so contemporary users will often grind it into a powder and pour it in capsules to avoid having to taste it. The usual human dosage is 200–400 milligrams of mescaline sulfate or 178–356 milligrams of mescaline hydrochloride. The average 76 mm (3.0 in) button contains about 25 mg mescaline.
Mescaline in the sun.
You try so hard, to find someone.
I used to be a hero.
Blood on my saddle.
Fight in every battle.
I used to be alone.
You shoot up.
Then you go to class.
It’s funny how nobody asks.
‘Cause all your teachers love you.
Everybody loves you.
Everybody loves you the same way that I do.
What a wonderful world we live in.
You’re a love disaster, your heart beats faster, when it’s with mine.
You’re a likely story, morning glory on the vine.
There are holy ghosts pushing past the tide.
They let me know, every time you cry.
You’re burning in some back seat, burning in some room.
Burning is the one thing that you should know how to do.
But I can’t put out a fire when it looks like you.
You didn’t do the same when I asked you to.
What a wonderful world we live in.
You’re a love disaster, your heart beats faster, when it’s with mine.