ABSTRACT
Because plants containing hallucinogenic substances can be grown in almost any climate, hallucinogens have been used throughout the world from the earliest of times. In North and South America, they have been used predominantly by Native Americans as part of religious observances. Peyote (mescaline), for example, continues to be used in that role today, and until recently its legal status has been upheld. The Native American Church of North America has been instrumental in repealing individual state laws prohibiting its use in peyote ceremonies. One researcher extensively reviewed peyote use by the Navajo as part of their religious practice and found no adverse reactions associated with it.
