Peyote (Lophophora williamsii)

A note on respect. Peyote is a sacrament of the Native American Church (NAC) and of other Indigenous peoples of North America. This page does not describe ceremonies, preparation, identification, growing or harvesting, and it leans on community-authored sources where it can. Authors writing for the Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative (IPCI) ask people to respect Indigenous sovereignty over the medicine and not to use it outside a bona fide Native American Church context. [1]

Safety first. Peyote is not a treatment for any condition. If someone has taken a cactus or plant and is severely confused, very agitated, having chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911 in the US or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. See poisoning: what to do first.

What peyote is

Peyote is the common name of a small, spineless cactus whose accepted scientific name in the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy is Lophophora williamsii (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M.Coult., in the cactus family (Cactaceae). [2] It is a plant, not a compound. The compound most associated with it is mescaline, a naturally occurring alkaloid found in cacti, mainly peyote and cacti of the Echinopsis genus. [3] Peyote also contains many other alkaloids: a chemistry review notes that over 40 have been isolated from the Lophophora genus, although only mescaline has been studied extensively. [4] For the compound itself, see mescaline: compound guide.

Naming and look-alikes

There are two recognized species in the genus Lophophora: L. williamsii, called peyote, and L. diffusa. [5] "False peyote" is a loose name that most often means L. diffusa, but several unrelated cacti also go by it. [4] L. diffusa differs chemically: its major alkaloid is pellotine, not mescaline. [4] A laboratory study also found some L. williamsii specimens that contained no mescaline, so mescaline content cannot be assumed from a plant's name. [5] For that reason this site gives no typical strength for peyote and no way to tell plants apart.

Cultural context

A review of Mesoamerica reports archaeological evidence of peyote use dating back more than 5,000 years, and names peyote among the sacred plants of Olmec, Zapotec, Maya and Aztec peoples. [6] In the United States, the Native American Church has hundreds of thousands of members, and its members see peyote as an extension of the divine, and a Texas Public Radio interview stresses that it is a plant, not a synthesized drug. [7] IPCI authors describe the "Peyote Religions," known in the US and Canada as the Native American Church, and describe a long history of persecution of the medicine by governments and mainstream religious organizations. [1] Use of peyote is a living religious practice, not a historical curiosity or a wellness product. A 2026 commentary in the Journal of Psychopharmacology argues that research drawing on traditions such as peyote needs free, prior and informed consent, benefit-sharing and Indigenous leadership. [8] See Indigenous traditions, ethics and conservation and peyote and its traditional contexts.

Conservation

In the United States, peyote grows naturally only in Texas, and the supply there is declining because of development, over-harvesting and poaching. [7] A 2025 report said only four active licenses to harvest and distribute peyote existed in Texas. [7] IPCI authors list mining, oil and gas development, wind turbine development, root plowing, cattle grazing, poaching and over-harvesting as threats, and say the initiative was formed in 2017 by the National Council of Native American Churches after a Peyote Research Project found the plant threatened. [1] They ask outsiders to support Native-led organizations and not to assume that Western fixes, such as nursery production in urban areas, are respectful. [1] Wider assessments (for example IUCN or CITES listings) were not readable this session: not verified. See peyote conservation.

What research shows

Evidence labels used here: established, insufficient evidence, Proper evidence not found.

• Effects (established for mescaline). In people, mescaline can cause euphoria, hallucinations and psychosis-like effects, and body effects consistent with a stimulant-like (sympathomimetic) pattern. [3][9]
• Use as a treatment: insufficient evidence. A 2023 review calls mescaline "the forgotten psychedelic" because research has been limited since the early 1970s, and says it is potentially beneficial in clinical settings. [3] We searched PubMed for modern controlled trials of peyote or mescaline as a treatment and found none in what we read: Proper evidence not found. Studies of whole peyote are not the same as studies of purified mescaline.

Risks and special groups

• NIDA lists mescaline among the psychedelic drugs, which can bring on vivid visions and affect a person's sense of self. [10]
• A pharmacology review says addiction and dependence are practically absent and most reported intoxications appear mild, but notes that most reports had no laboratory confirmation of what was taken. [9]
• Heart disease: a 2023 review found a lack of data on psychedelic safety in people with cardiovascular disease. [11]
• Mental health: in modern psychedelic research, people with psychosis or bipolar disorder are excluded as a precaution. [10]
• Pregnancy: the effects of psychedelic drugs in pregnancy are not well understood. [10]
• Medicines: ask a prescriber or pharmacist before combining anything with medicines: how interactions work. Do not stop or change prescribed medicines on your own. See also psychedelic adverse effects and contraindications.

Legal status

Not legal advice; laws change. In the United States, 21 CFR 1308.11 (read 2026-10-22) lists mescaline and peyote, defined as all parts of the plant classified as Lophophora williamsii, in Schedule I. [12] A separate federal rule (21 CFR 1307.31, read 2026-10-22) says that listing does not apply to the nondrug use of peyote in bona fide religious ceremonies of the Native American Church, and members so using it are exempt from registration. [13] Law in individual states, in Mexico, Canada and elsewhere was not read this session: not verified. An exemption for a specific religious community is not general permission. See legal status by country.