Peyote Is Not Bad For You

Peyote is not harmful.

It has been shown in a recent study that there is no relation between using peyote and brain damage or psychological problems. This hallucinogenic cactus is often used by American Indians in religious ceremonies.

Also, in McLean Hospital, researchers from Harvard found that members of the Native American Church performed better on some psychological tests than other Navajos who did not regularly use peyote.
Since 1994, for 300,000 members of the Native American Church, it was legal the usage of peyote as a religious sacrament. Five years of study showed that the hallucinogenic substance is not a dangerous one even if used frequently.

John Halpern, a psychiatrist of McLean conducted the study. The study has been made on 60 persons who used peyote at least 100 times, comparing them to 79 persons who did not use peyote frequently and 36 persons who seldom used peyote but who have a history of alcohol abuse. The results showed the last ones were worst on the test. It is not proved that peyote has a pharmacological effect that improves human health.

Harrison Pope, the senior author of the study and director of the biological psychology laboratory at the hospital said: