ABSTRACT

Criteria for this group are difficult to define. Hallucinogens are said to share five common features: (1) changes in mood and perception dominate in proportion to any other effects the drugs might exert, (2) minimal memory or intellectual impairment occurs, (3) use is not associated with either stupor or excessive agitation, (4) side effects from autonomic nervous system stimulation are minimal, and (5) craving and addiction do not occur (Hollister, 1967). Traditionally, hallucinogens have been divided into two groups: phenylalkylamines (drugs such as mescaline, methylene-2-5-dimethyoxyamphetamine [DOM], 4-bromo-2-5dimethyoxyamphetamine [DOB]) and the indoylalkylamines (psilocybin, bufoteine, LSD, harmaline). But to a certain extent, disassociative anesthetics and amphetamine derivatives also share some properties with the hallucinogens, making their classification somewhat problematic, especially because their ingestion can cause severe medical complications or even death. Now that the receptor mechanisms for these drugs are known, it seems to make more sense to group the drugs by the receptor to which they bind. Still, the original classification by chemical family is widely used and it will more or less be followed in this chapter. Table 4.1.1 lists the drugs. With the exception of the designer amphetamines, specific pathologic changes are not associated with any of these agents.