Western ‘psychedelic renaissance’ is partly to blame for dwindling supplies of peyote, which produces mescaline

Summary

The Native American Church warns of a peyote shortage, a sacred cactus used in religious ceremonies.

Overharvesting, land development, and surging demand from Western psychedelic seekers contribute to the decline.

Peyote, which grows slowly and only in limited regions of the US and Mexico, is further pressured by decriminalization movements and illegal poaching.

The Church has called for conservation measures.

The shortage threatens traditional practices, as the cactus is vital to the spiritual and cultural life of its 350,000 adherents.

  • electricyarn@lemmy.worldEnglish
    38·
    4 days ago

    The San Pedro cactus is plentiful and produces the same molecules. It also grows more rapidly and can be found at your local hardware store in the landscaping section.

    • ZettaEnglish
      21·
      3 days ago

      I believe the varieties typically sold at hardware stores do not contain mescaline (the main psychedelic compound in these cacti). Here’s a chart I found that has different varieties and their mescaline content. You can find the good ones for sale online.

      Bolivian Torch Cactus ‘Trichocereus bridgesii’ is a good option if you wanna trip

      • Dasus@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        4 days ago

        It depends. People on r/druggardening were always sharing when they found some selling cultivars which had nice concentrations.

        So varies hugely.

        I’ve been growing these for more than ten years. Still have never eaten, lol. I could make them grow faster as well but basically I have like 3 foot longs about. I could go and take a picture but can’t be arsed to get up.

  • 21Cabbage@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
    45·
    4 days ago

    I’d argue it’s more of a sign to ramp up production. Never tried mescaline myself but seems interesting.

    • distantsounds@lemmy.worldEnglish
      111·
      4 days ago

      You can’t just ramp up production. Peyote is very slow growing and has special growing needs that don’t scale well

    • 1371113@lemmy.worldEnglish
      71·
      4 days ago

      Read what you’re talking about. The article clearly states that is not possible in the short or medium term and why.

  • Nougat@fedia.io
    23·
    4 days ago

    “This is a Native American European sacred medicine and we don’t want people messing around with it,” said a Navajo White member of the church from a congregation in Rio Grande City, Texas, who asked not to be identified. “The Natives European people don’t like it. White Brown people shouldn’t mess around with it.”