{"id":148121,"date":"2016-06-17T04:57:01","date_gmt":"2016-06-17T08:57:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.designerchildren.com\/entheogens-including-salvia-lsd-peyote-and-mushrooms\/"},"modified":"2016-06-17T04:57:01","modified_gmt":"2016-06-17T08:57:01","slug":"entheogens-including-salvia-lsd-peyote-and-mushrooms-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/entheogens\/entheogens-including-salvia-lsd-peyote-and-mushrooms-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Entheogens including Salvia, LSD, Peyote, and Mushrooms &#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><p>                                    (Entheogen                                    Defined)                                    \"'Entheogen' is a word coined                                    by scholars proposing to                                    replace the term 'psychedelic'                                    (Ruck, Bigwood, Staples, Ott                                    & Wasson, 1979), which was                                    perceived to be too                                    socioculturally loaded from its                                    1960s roots to appropriately                                    denote the revered plants and                                    substances used for traditional                                    sacred rituals.What kinds of                                    plants or chemicals fall into                                    the category of entheogen is a                                    matter of debate, as a large                                    number of inebriants - from                                    tobacco and marijuana to                                    alcohol and opium - have been                                    venerated as gifts from the                                    gods (or God) in different                                    cultures at different times                                    (Fuller, 2000). For the                                    purposes of this paper,                                    however, I will focus on the                                    class of drugs that Lewin                                    (1924\/1997) terms                                    'phantastica,' a name deriving                                    from the Greek word for the                                    faculty of the imagination                                    (Shorter Oxford English                                    Dictionary, 1973). Later these                                    substances became known as                                    hallucinogens or psychedelics,                                    a class whose members include                                    lysergic acid derivatives,                                    psilocybin, mescaline and                                    dimethyltryptamine; these all                                    shared physical, chemical, and,                                    when ingested, phenomenological                                    properties and, more                                    importantly, have a history of                                    ritual use as cultural tools to                                    cure illness and\/or to mediate                                    cosmological insight (Grinspoon                                    & Bakalar, 1998; Rudgley,                                    1994, Schultes & Hofmann,                                    1992;).\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Entheogens as                                    Psychedelics)                                    \"Another peculiar effect of                                    these drugs is a dramatic                                    change in perception: it                                    appears to the person as if the                                    eyes (the 'doors of                                    perception') have been cleansed                                    and the person could see the                                    world as new in all respects                                     'as Adam may have seen it on                                    the day of creation' as Aldous                                    Huxley (1954, p. 17) pointed                                    out in his popular and                                    influential book. This new                                    reality is perceived and                                    interpreted by some individuals                                    as manifestation of the true                                    nature of their mind; hence,                                    the term 'psychedelic' was                                    suggested by Osmond (1957).                                    This interpretation has been                                    embraced not only by                                    professional therapists but                                    also by some segments of the                                    public, and gave rise to the                                    'Summer of Love' in San                                    Francisco in 1967 with free                                    distribution of LSD. This                                    perception resulted in the                                    formation of numerous cults,                                    communes, and drug-oriented                                    religious groups (Freedman                                    1968), permeated the lyrics and                                    style of popular music (acid                                    rock), and was viewed by some                                    as one of the contributing                                    sources of the occasional                                    resurgence of popularity of                                    illegal drug use (Cohen 1966,                                    Szra 1968).\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Entheogens as                                    Hallucinogens)                                    \"The term 'hallucinogen' is                                    widely used and understood in                                    both professional and lay                                    circles, in spite of the fact                                    that hallucinations in the                                    strict psychiatric sense of the                                    word are a relatively rare                                    effect of these drugs                                    (Hollister 1962). What is                                    probably the first reference to                                    hallucinations as produced by                                    peyote appears in Louis Lewins                                    book published in 1924 in                                    German and later translated                                    into English with the nearly                                    identical title                                    Phantastica (Lewin                                    1924, 1964). In this book by                                    the noted German toxicologist,                                    the term 'hallucinatoria'                                    appears as a synonym for                                    phantastica to designate the                                    class of drugs that can produce                                    transitory visionary states                                    'without any physical                                    inconvenience for a certain                                    time in persons of perfectly                                    normal mentality who are partly                                    or fully conscious of the                                    action of the drug' (Lewin                                    1964, p. 92). Lewin lists                                    peyotl (also spelled 'peyote')                                    (Anhalonium lewinii),                                    Indian hemp (Cannabis                                    indica), fly agaric                                    (Agaricus muscarius),                                    thornapple<br \/>\n(Datura                                    stramonium), and the South                                    American yahe (also spelled                                    'yage') (Banisteria                                    caapi) as representatives                                    of this class.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Description of                                    Ayahuasca)                                    \"Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic                                    tea originally from the Amazon                                    Basin that is supposedly able                                    to induce strikingly similar                                    visions in people independent                                    of their cultural background.                                    Ayahuasca users commonly claim                                    that this regularity across                                    peoples visions is evidence                                    that their visions are not                                    simply the products of their                                    own brains, but rather are                                    representations of spiritual                                    information learned                                    from plant-spirits that one                                    gains access to by drinking the                                    tea.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Description of                                    Ayahuasca)                                    \"Ayahuasca is a psychedelic                                    decoction made from plants                                    native to the Amazon Basinmost                                    often Banisteriopsis                                    caapi and Psychotria                                    viridisand which contains                                    harmala alkaloids and                                    N,Ndimethyltryptamine (DMT),                                    the latter being a controlled                                    substance scheduled under the                                    1971 Convention on Psychotropic                                    Substances.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Ayahuasca Folk                                    Healers)                                    \"Vegetalismo is a                                    Peruvian Spanish term denoting                                    the folk healing traditions of                                    mestizo curanderos, or                                    healers of mixed indigenous and                                    non-indigenous ancestry who use                                    ayahuasca and other 'master'                                    plants for diagnosis and                                    treatment of illnesses (Beyer,                                    2009; Dobkin de Rios, 1972;                                    Luna, 1986). Known as                                    ayahuasqueros, such                                    folk healers undergo a rigorous                                    process of initiation and                                    training, requiring adherence                                    to strict dietary and sexual                                    abstinence protocols, and                                    sometimes prolonged isolation                                    in the jungle.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Ayahuasca Healing                                    Ceremonies)                                    \"Cross-cultural                                    vegetalismo refers to                                    ayahuasca ceremonies based, to                                    varying degrees, on                                    vegetalismo or                                    equivalent traditions from                                    other regions of the Amazon,                                    but conducted primarily for                                    (and increasingly by)                                    non-Amazonians. Urban centres                                    in the region are presently                                    witnessing a boom in what has                                    been pejoratively characterized                                    as 'ayahuasca tourism' (Dobkin                                    de Rios, 1994; see also                                    Davidov, 2010; Holman, 2011;                                    Razam, 2009), but                                    cross-cultural                                    vegetalismo ceremonies                                    are also increasingly common                                    outside the Amazon (Labate,                                    2004). Canadians and other                                    foreigners regularly invite                                    indigenous or mestizo                                    Amazonian                                    ayahuasqueros to their                                    home countries to conduct                                    ceremonies for people in the                                    circles and networks of the                                    sponsors friends and                                    acquaintances (Tupper,                                    2009asee Appendix). Some                                    individuals are undertaking                                    apprenticeships in the                                    vegetalismo tradition                                    to become neo-shamanic                                    practitioners of ayahuasca                                    healing, in a manner similar to                                    how yoga, Buddhist monastic,                                    ayurvedic, or Chinese medicine                                    practices have been taken up by                                    modern Western disciples                                    exogenous to the respective                                    cultures and traditions of                                    origin.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Legal Status of                                    Ayahuasca)                                    \"On February 21 of this year,                                    2006, the US Supreme Court                                    ruled in favor of the Centro                                    Esprita Beneficente Unio do                                    Vegetal (the UDV) in the case                                    Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney                                    General, et al. Petitioners v.                                    O Centro Espirita Beneficente                                    Unio do Vegetal et al. The                                    UDV is now legally allowed to                                    drink ayahuasca (which contains                                    the controlled substance DMT)                                    in their ceremonies here in the                                    US.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Therapeutic                                    Potential of                                    Ayahuasca) \"Aside                                    from indicating a general lack<br \/>\n                         of harm from the religious use                                    of ayahuasca, biomedical and                                    ethnographic studies have also                                    generated preliminary evidence                                    in support of the therapeutic                                    potentials of ayahuasca or its                                    constituents for alleviating                                    substance dependence (Grob et                                    al., 1996; Labate, Santos,                                    Anderson, Mercante, &                                    Barbosa, 2010) and mood and                                    anxiety disorders (Fortunato et                                    al., 2010; Santos,                                    Landeira-Fernandez, Strassman,                                    Motta, & Cruz, 2007). The                                    study of ayahuasca could thus                                    contribute to advances in                                    ethnopharmacology and the                                    cognitive sciences (Shanon,                                    2002), yet such studies are                                    severely compromised when these                                    traditions face the threat of                                    legal sanction.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    \"LSD (d-lysergic acid                                    diethylamide) is one of the                                    most potent mood-changing                                    chemicals. It was discovered in                                    1938 and is manufactured from                                    lysergic acid, which is found                                    in ergot, a fungus that grows                                    on rye and other grains.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (NIDA's Description                                    of the Physical Characteristics                                    of LSD) \"LSD                                    (d-lysergic acid                                    diethylamide)also known as                                    acid, blotter, doses, hits,                                    microdots, sugar cubes, trips,                                    tabs, or window panes  is one                                    of the most potent moodand                                    perception-altering                                    hallucinogenic drugs. It is a                                    clear or white, odorless,                                    water-soluble material                                    synthesized from lysergic acid,                                    a compound derived from a rye                                    fungus. LSD is initially                                    produced in crystalline form,                                    which can then be used to                                    produce tablets known as                                    'microdots' or thin squares of                                    gelatin called 'window panes.'                                    It can also be diluted with                                    water or alcohol and sold in                                    liquid form. The most common                                    form, however, is LSD-soaked                                    paper punched into small                                    individual squares, known as                                    'blotters.'\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (LSD Effects                                    According to                                    NIDA) \"Sensations                                    and feelings change much more                                    dramatically than the physical                                    signs in people under the                                    influence of LSD. The user may                                    feel several different emotions                                    at once or swing rapidly from                                    one emotion to another. If                                    taken in large enough doses,                                    the drug produces delusions and                                    visual hallucinations. The                                    users sense of time and self                                    is altered. Experiences may                                    seem to cross over different                                    senses, giving the user the                                    feeling of hearing colors and                                    seeing sounds. These changes                                    can be frightening and can                                    cause panic. Some LSD users                                    experience severe, terrifying                                    thoughts and feelings of                                    despair, fear of losing                                    control, or fear of insanity                                    and death while using LSD.                                    \"LSD users can also experience                                    flashbacks, or recurrences of                                    certain aspects of the drug                                    experience. Flashbacks occur                                    suddenly, often without                                    warning, and may do so within a                                    few days or more than a year                                    after LSD use. In some                                    individuals, the flashbacks can                                    persist and cause significant                                    distress or impairment in                                    social or occupational                                    functioning, a condition known                                    as hallucinogen-induced                                    persisting perceptual disorder                                    (HPPD).                                    \"Most users of LSD voluntarily                                    decrease or stop its use over                                    time. LSD is not considered an                                    addictive drug since it does                                    not produce compulsive                                    drug-seeking behavior. However,                                    LSD does produce tolerance, so                                    some users who take the drug                                    repeatedly must take                                    progressively higher doses to                                    achieve the state of                                    intoxication that they had                                    previously achieved. This is an                                    extremely dangerous practice,                                    given the unpredictability of                                    the drug. In addition,                                    cross-tolerance between LSD and                                    other hallucinogens has been                                    reported.                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Prevalence of and                                    Trends in LSD Use Among                                    Youth) \"LSD, one of                                    the major drugs in the                                    hallucinogen class, showed a                                    modest decline in use among<br \/>\n 12th graders from 1975 to 1977,                                    followed by considerable                                    stability through 1981 (Figure                                    5-4g). Between 1981 and 1985,                                    there was a second period of                                    gradual decline, with annual                                    prevalence of use falling from                                    6.5% to 4.4%. However, after                                    1985, annual prevalence began                                    to rise very gradually to 5.6%                                    by 1992, making it one of the                                    few drugs to show a rise in use                                    in that period. The increase                                    continued through 1996, with                                    annual prevalence reaching                                    8.8%, double the low point in                                    1985. After 1996, annual                                    prevalence declined, including                                    sharp decreases in 2002 and                                    2003, reaching 1.7% in 2006,                                    the lowest LSD prevalence rate                                    recorded since MTF began. By                                    2011 the rate was up slightly                                    to 2.7%, having risen by a                                    significant 0.7 percentage                                    points in 2010. We believe that                                    the decline prior to 2002 might                                    have resulted in part from a                                    displacement of LSD by sharply                                    rising ecstasy use. After 2001,                                    when ecstasy use itself began                                    to decline, the sharp further                                    decline in LSD use likely                                    resulted from a drop in the                                    availability of LSD, because                                    attitudes generally have not                                    moved in a way that could                                    explain the fall in use, while                                    perceived availability has.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (LSD and Marijuana Use                                    by women) \"Our results                                    indicate that this population                                    of sexually active female                                    adolescents and young adults                                    have similar rates of lifetime                                    use of LSD (13%) as reported in                                    other surveys,1,30                                    and half of these young women                                    report using LSD one or more                                    times in the last year. Prior                                    data suggests that the use of                                    hallucinogens by African                                    Americans is virtually                                    nonexistent across all ages of                                    adolescents and young                                    adults.2,9 In fact,                                    we found that none of our                                    African American young women                                    reported using LSD. However,                                    the proportion of African                                    Americans who reported using                                    marijuana was much greater than                                    either caucasian or Mexican                                    American women.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Effects of                                    LSD) \"The                                    physiological effects of this                                    powerful drug have been well                                    documented. These effects can                                    be grouped into five general                                    areas of action: LSD works on                                    the sympathetic nervous system                                    (which is involved in                                    regulation of heart muscle,                                    smooth muscle and glandular                                    organs in a response to                                    stressful situations); the                                    motor system (which is involved                                    in carrying out limb                                    movements); the affective                                    states; thought processes; and                                    it has profound effects upon                                    the sensory and perceptual                                    experience.                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    \"LSD is a semisynthetic                                    preparation originally derived                                    from ergot, an extract of the                                    fungus Claviceps                                    purpurea, which grows as a                                    parasite on rye wheat. The                                    dosage that is required to                                    produce a moderate effect in                                    most subjects is 1 to 3mcg per                                    kilogram of body mass, and the                                    effects can last from seven to                                    10 hours (Bowman & Rand                                    1980).                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    \"Stimulation of the sympathetic                                    nervous system following LSD                                    ingestion can lead to effects                                    such as hypothermia with                                    piloerection (hairs standing on                                    end, such as can be found in                                    reports of religious ecstasy),                                    sweating, increased heart rate                                    with palpitations, and                                    elevation of blood pressure and                                    blood glucose levels. These                                    reactions of the autonomic                                    nervous system are not as                                    significant as other effects                                    upon the body: action on the                                    motor system can lead to                                    increased activity of                                    monosynaptic reflexes (such as                                    the knee-jerk response), an                                    increase in muscle tension,                                    tremors, and muscular                                    incoordination. This latter                                    effect of muscular                                    incoordination is also a                                    symptom of religious ecstasy in                                    many cultures, where the                                    worshipper has such a profound                                    feeling of love of God that he                                    is said to be 'intoxi<br \/>\ncated by                                    God.'\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Creation of                                    LSD) \"Chemist                                    Albert Hofmann, working at the                                    Sandoz Corporation                                    pharmaceutical laboratory in                                    Switzerland, first synthesized                                    LSD in 1938. He was conducting                                    research on possible medical                                    applications of various                                    lysergic acid compounds derived                                    from ergot, a fungus that                                    develops on rye grass.                                    Searching for compounds with                                    therapeutic value, Hofmann                                    created more than two dozen                                    ergot-derived synthetic                                    molecules. The 25th was called,                                    in German,                                    Lyserg-Sure-Dithylamid 25, or                                    LSD-25.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Addictive                                    Properties and                                    Tolerance) \"Most                                    users of LSD voluntarily                                    decrease or stop its use over                                    time. LSD is not considered an                                    addictive drug since it does                                    not produce compulsive                                    drug-seeking behavior. However,                                    LSD does produce tolerance, so                                    some users who take the drug                                    repeatedly must take                                    progressively higher doses to                                    achieve the state of                                    intoxication that they had                                    previously achieved. This is an                                    extremely dangerous practice,                                    given the unpredictability of                                    the drug. In addition,                                    cross-tolerance between LSD and                                    other hallucinogens has been                                    reported.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Physical Effects                                    of LSD According to                                    NIDA) \"The                                    effects of LSD depend largely                                    on the amount taken. LSD causes                                    dilated pupils; can raise body                                    temperature and increase heart                                    rate and blood pressure; and                                    can cause profuse sweating,                                    loss of appetite,                                    sleeplessness, dry mouth, and                                    tremors.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Description of                                    Peyote) \"Peyote                                    is a small, spineless cactus in                                    which the principal active                                    ingredient is mescaline. This                                    plant has been used by natives                                    in northern Mexico and the                                    southwestern United States as a                                    part of religious ceremonies.                                    Mescaline can also be produced                                    through chemical synthesis.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Description of                                    Peyote) \"The top                                    of the peyote cactus, also                                    referred to as the crown,                                    consists of disc-shaped buttons                                    that are cut from the roots and                                    dried. These buttons are                                    generally chewed or soaked in                                    water to produce an                                    intoxicating liquid. The                                    hallucinogenic dose of                                    mescaline is about 0.3 to 0.5                                    grams, and its effects last                                    about 12 hours. Because the                                    extract is so bitter, some                                    individuals prefer to prepare a                                    tea by boiling the cacti for                                    several hours.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Effects of                                    Mescaline and                                    Peyote) \"The                                    long-term residual                                    psychological and cognitive                                    effects of mescaline, peyotes                                    principal active ingredient,                                    remain poorly understood. A                                    recent study found no evidence                                    of psychological or cognitive                                    deficits among Native Americans                                    that use peyote regularly in a                                    religious setting.2                                    It should be mentioned,                                    however, that these findings                                    may not generalize to those who                                    repeatedly abuse the drug for                                    recreational purposes. Peyote                                    abusers may also experience                                    flashbacks.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Physical                                    Effects) \"Its                                    effects can be similar to those                                    of LSD, including increased                                    body temperature and heart                                    rate, uncoordinated movements                                    (ataxia), profound sweating,                                    and flushing. The active                                    ingredient mescaline has also                                    been associated, in at least                                    one report, to fetal                                    abnormalities.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    \"Psilocybin                                    (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine)                                    is obtained from certain types                                    of mushrooms that are                                    indigenous to tropical and                                    subtropical regions of South                                    America, Mexico, and the United                                    States. These mushrooms                                    typically contain less than 0.5                                    percent psilocybin plus trace                                    amounts of psilocin, another<br \/>\n                               hallucinogenic substance.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Methods of                                    Use) \"Mushrooms                                    containing psilocybin are                                    available fresh or dried and                                    are typically taken orally.                                    Psilocybin                                    (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine)                                    and its biologically active                                    form, psilocin                                    (4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine),                                    cannot be inactivated by                                    cooking or freezing                                    preparations. Thus, they may                                    also be brewed as a tea or                                    added to other foods to mask                                    their bitter flavor. The                                    effects of psilocybin, which                                    appear within 20 minutes of                                    ingestion, last approximately 6                                    hours.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Effects of                                    Psilocybin) \"The                                    active compounds in                                    psilocybin-containing 'magic'                                    mushrooms have LSD-like                                    properties and produce                                    alterations of autonomic                                    function, motor reflexes,                                    behavior, and                                    perception.3 The                                    psychological consequences of                                    psilocybin use include                                    hallucinations, an altered                                    perception of time, and an                                    inability to discern fantasy                                    from reality. Panic reactions                                    and psychosis also may occur,                                    particularly if a user ingests                                    a large dose. Long-term effects                                    such as flashbacks, risk of                                    psychiatric illness, impaired                                    memory, and tolerance have been                                    described in case reports.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Physical Effects                                    of Psilocybin)                                    \"[Psilocybin] can produce                                    muscle relaxation or weakness,                                    ataxia, excessive pupil                                    dilation, nausea, vomiting, and                                    drowsiness. Individuals who                                    abuse psilocybin mushrooms also                                    risk poisoning if one of many                                    existing varieties of poisonous                                    mushrooms is incorrectly                                    identified as a psilocybin                                    mushroom.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Psilocybin and                                    Mystical                                    Experiences)                                    \"Overall, the present study                                    shows that psilocybin can                                    dose-dependently occasion                                    mystical-type experiences                                    having persisting positive                                    effects on attitudes, mood, and                                    behavior. The observations that                                    episodes of extreme fear,                                    feeling trapped, or delusions                                    occur at the highest dose in                                    almost 40% of volunteers, that                                    anxiety and fear have an                                    unpredictable time course                                    across the session, and that an                                    ascending sequence of dose                                    exposure may be associated with                                    long-lasting positive changes                                    have implications for the                                    design of therapeutic trials                                    with psilocybin. Considering                                    the rarity of spontaneous                                    mystical experiences in the                                    general population, the finding                                    that more than 70% of                                    volunteers in the current study                                    had 'complete' mystical                                    experiences suggests that most                                    people have the capacity for                                    such experiences under                                    appropriate conditions and,                                    therefore, such experiences are                                    biologically normal.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Safety of                                    Psilocybin) \"An                                    important finding of the                                    present study is that, with                                    careful volunteer screening and                                    preparation and when sessions                                    are conducted in a comfortable,                                    well-supervised setting, a high                                    dose of 30 mg\/70 kg psilocybin                                    can be administered safely. .                                    It is also noteworthy that,                                    despite meetings and prior                                    sessions with monitors ranging                                    from 8 h (when psilocybin was                                    administered on the first                                    session) up to 24 h (when                                    psilocybin was administered on                                    the third session) of contact                                    time, 22% (8 of 36) of the                                    volunteers experienced a period                                    of notable anxiety\/dysphoria                                    during the session, sometimes                                    including transient ideas of                                    reference\/paranoia. No                                    volunteer required                                    pharmacological intervention                                    and the psychological effects                                    were readily managed with                                    reassurance. The primary                                    monitor remained accessible via                                    beeper\/phone to each volunteer                                    for 24 h after each session,                                    but no volunteer called before                                    the scheduled follow-up meeting                                    on the next day. The 1-year                                    follow-up is ongoing but has<br \/>\n been completed by most                                    volunteers (30 of 36). In that                                    follow-up, an open-ended                                    clinical interview reflecting                                    on the study experiences and                                    current life situation provides                                    a clinical context conducive to                                    the spontaneous reporting of                                    study-associated adverse                                    events. To date, there have                                    been no reports of persisting                                    perceptional phenomena                                    sometimes attributed to                                    hallucinogen use or of                                    recreational abuse of                                    hallucinogens, and all                                    participants appear to continue                                    to be high-functioning,                                    productive members of society.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Medicinal                                    Potential of                                    Psilocybin)                                    \"Today, the medical value of                                    hallucinogens is again being                                    examined in formal psychiatric                                    settings. One substance under                                    investigation is psilocybin,                                    4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine,                                    which occurs in nature in                                    various species of mushrooms.                                    Psilocybin is rapidly                                    metabolized to psilocin, which                                    is a potent agonist at                                    serotonin                                    5-HT1A\/2A\/2C                                    receptors, with                                    5-HT2A receptor                                    activation directly correlated                                    with human hallucinogenic                                    activity.16                                    Psilocybin was studied during                                    the 1960s to establish its                                    psychopharmacological profile;                                    it was found to be active                                    orally at around 10 mg, with                                    stronger effects at higher                                    doses, and to have a 4- to                                    6-hour duration of experience.                                    Psychological effects were                                    similar to those of lysergic                                    acid diethylamide (LSD), with                                    psilocybin considered to be                                    more strongly visual, less                                    emotionally intense, more                                    euphoric, and with fewer panic                                    reactions and less chance of                                    paranoia than                                    LSD.\"17,18                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Safety of                                    Psilocybin in Clinical                                    Setting) \"Our                                    investigations provided no                                    cause for concern that                                    administration of PY                                    [psilocybin] to healthy                                    subjects is hazardous with                                    respect to somatic health.                                    However, as our data revealed                                    tendencies of PY to temporarily                                    increase blood pressure, we                                    advise subjects suffering from                                    cardiovascular conditions,                                    especially untreated                                    hypertension, to abstain from                                    using PY or PY-containing                                    mushrooms. Furthermore, our                                    results indicate that                                    PY-induced ASC [altered states                                    of consciousness] are generally                                    well tolerated and integrated                                    by healthy subjects. However, a                                    controlled clinical setting is                                    needful, since also mentally                                    stable personalities may,                                    following ingestion of higher                                    doses of PY, transiently                                    experience anxiety as a                                    consequence of loosening of                                    ego-boundaries.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Psilocybin and                                    Treatment of End-Stage Cancer                                    Anxiety) \"Despite                                    the limitations, this study                                    demonstrates that the careful                                    and controlled use of                                    psilocybin may provide an                                    alternative model for the                                    treatment of conditions that                                    are often minimally responsive                                    to conventional therapies,                                    including the profound                                    existential anxiety and despair                                    that often accompany                                    advanced-stage cancers. A                                    recent review from the                                    psilocybin research group at                                    Johns Hopkins University                                    describes the critical                                    components necessary for                                    ensuring subject safety in                                    hallucinogen                                    research.36 Taking                                    into account these essential                                    provisions for optimizing                                    safety as well as adhering to                                    strict ethical standards of                                    conduct for treatment                                    facilitators, the results                                    provided herein indicate the                                    safety and promise of continued                                    investigations into the range                                    of medical effects of                                    hallucinogenic compounds such                                    as psilocybin.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Description of                                    Salvia Divinorum)                                    \"Salvia divinorum is a<br \/>\n                                 perennial herb in the mint                                    family native to certain areas                                    of the Sierra Mazateca region                                    of Oaxaca, Mexico. The plant,                                    which can grow to over three                                    feet in height, has large green                                    leaves, hollow square stems and                                    white flowers with purple                                    calyces, can also be grown                                    successfully outside of this                                    region. Salvia divinorum has                                    been used by the Mazatec                                    Indians for its ritual                                    divination and healing. The                                    active constituent of Salvia                                    divinorum has been identified                                    as salvinorin A. Currently,                                    neither Salvia divinorum nor                                    any of its constituents,                                    including salvinorin A, are                                    controlled under the federal                                    Controlled Substances Act                                    (CSA).\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Effects of Salvia                                    Divinorum)                                    \"Consistent with results from                                    nonhuman animal research (Mowry                                    et al.,2003), the present                                    results suggest a safe                                    physiological profile for                                    salvinorin A at the studied                                    doses, under controlled                                    conditions, and in                                    psychologically and physically                                    healthy                                    hallucinogen-experienced                                    participants. Salvinorin A                                    produced no significant changes                                    in heart rate or blood                                    pressure; no tremor was                                    observed; and no adverse events                                    were reported. Participants                                    tolerated all doses. However,                                    because of the small sample and                                    the healthy,                                    hallucinogen-experienced status                                    of participants, conclusions                                    regarding safety are limited.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Description of                                    Salvia and Its                                    Effects) \"Salvia                                    divinorum is a psychoactive                                    plant that can induce                                    dissociative effects and is a                                    potent producer of visual and                                    other hallucinatory                                    experiences. By mass,                                    salvinorin A, the psychoactive                                    substance in the plant, appears                                    to be the most potent naturally                                    occurring hallucinogen. Its                                    native habitat is the cloud                                    forests in Mexico. It has been                                    consumed for hundreds of years                                    by local Mazatec shamans, who                                    use it to facilitate visionary                                    states of consciousness during                                    spiritual healing                                    sessions.57 It is                                    also used in traditional                                    medicine at lower doses as a                                    diuretic to treat ailments                                    including diarrhoea, anaemia,                                    headaches and rheumatism.                                    Effects include various                                    psychedelic experiences,                                    including past memories (e.g.                                    revisiting places from                                    childhood memory), merging with                                    objects and overlapping                                    realities (such as the                                    perception of being in several                                    locations at the same                                    time).58 In contrast                                    to other drugs, its use often                                    prompts dysphoria, i.e.                                    feelings of sadness and                                    depression, as well as fear. In                                    addition, it may prompt a                                    decreased heart rate, slurred                                    speech, lack of coordination                                    and possibly loss of                                    consciousness.59\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Effects of Salvia                                    Divinorum) \"The                                    putative primary psychoactive                                    agent in SD [Salvia                                    divinorum] is a                                    structurally novel KOR [kappa                                    opioid receptor] agonist named                                    salvinorin A (Ortega et al.,                                    1982; Valds et al., 1984).                                    Consistent with KOR agonist                                    activity, users describe SD in                                    lay literature as                                    hallucinogenic: it produces                                    perceptual distortions,                                    pseudo-hallucinations, and a                                    profoundly altered sense of                                    self and environment, including                                    out-of-body experiences                                    (Aardvark, 1998; Erowid, 2008;                                    Siebert, 1994b; Turner, 1996).                                    SD therefore appears to have                                    the potential to elucidate the                                    role of the KOR receptor system                                    in health and disease (Butelman                                    et al., 2004; Chavkin et al.,                                    2004; Roth et al., 2002).\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Potential for                                    Abuse or Dependence of Salvia                                    Divinorum) \"There                                    was little evidence of                                    dependence in our survey                                    population. At some point, 0.6%                                    (3 people) felt addicted to or                                    dependent upon SD, while 1.2%                                    (6) reported strong cravings                                    for SD. The DSM-IV-R<br \/>\n      psychiatric diagnostic system                                    in the United States classifies                                    people as drug dependent based                                    on seven criteria. Of the three                                    who reported feelings of                                    addiction or dependence on SD,                                    only one endorsed any DSM-IV                                    criteria (strong cravings and                                    using more SD than planned).                                    When asked about these signs                                    and symptoms individually, 2                                    additional respondents (0.4%)                                    reported three dependence                                    criteria. None of these                                    individuals reported more than                                    2 of 13 after-effects                                    characteristic of mu-opioid                                    withdrawal (such as increased                                    sweating, gooseflesh, worsened                                    mood, and diarrhea).\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p>                                    (Prevalence of Use                                    of Salvia Divinorum Among                                    Youth) \"A                                    tripwire question about use of                                    salvia                                    (or salvia divinorum) in the                                    past 12 months was added in                                    2010. Salvia is an herb with                                    hallucinogenic properties,                                    common to southern Mexico and                                    Central and South America.                                    Although it currently is not a                                    drug regulated by the                                    Controlled Substances Act,                                    several states have passed                                    legislation to regulate its                                    use. The Drug Enforcement                                    Agency has listed salvia as a                                    drug of concern and is                                    considering classifying it as a                                    Schedule I drug, like LSD or                                    marijuana. The drug has an                                    appreciable annual prevalence:                                    1.6%, 3.9%, and 5.9% among 8th,                                    10th, and 12th graders in 2011,                                    while lifetime prevalence would                                    be somewhat higher.\"                                  <\/p>\n<p>                                          Source:                                        <\/p>\n<p><!-- Auto Generated --><\/p>\n<p>Read more:<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/drugwarfacts.org\/cms\/Entheogens\" title=\"Entheogens including Salvia, LSD, Peyote, and Mushrooms ...\">Entheogens including Salvia, LSD, Peyote, and Mushrooms ...<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> (Entheogen Defined) \"'Entheogen' is a word coined by scholars proposing to replace the term 'psychedelic' (Ruck, Bigwood, Staples, Ott &#038; Wasson, 1979), which was perceived to be too socioculturally loaded from its 1960s roots to appropriately denote the revered plants and substances used for traditional sacred rituals.What kinds of plants or chemicals fall into the category of entheogen is a matter of debate, as a large number of inebriants - from tobacco and marijuana to alcohol and opium - have been venerated as gifts from the gods (or God) in different cultures at different times (Fuller, 2000).  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/entheogens\/entheogens-including-salvia-lsd-peyote-and-mushrooms-2\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[187760],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-entheogens"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148121"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148121\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/prometheism-transhumanism-posthumanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}