---
title: "Peyote & Mescaline | Sutter Health"
description: "Peyote is a small, spineless cactus. Mescaline is a hallucinogenic substance found within the Peyote cactus."
url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/peyote"
---

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# Peyote & Mescaline

* * *

September 27, 2024Medically reviewed by Teens Participating in the Summer Wellness Programs

Peyote is a small, spineless cactus. Mescaline is a hallucinogenic substance found within the Peyote cactus. Mescaline can be taken from the Peyote cactus or created synthetically.

Throughout history, Peyote and Mescaline have been used by natives in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States as a part of traditional religious rites.

## Street Names

Mescaline as also known as:

-   "buttons" 
-   "mesc" 
-   "peyote"

## How are they taken?

-   The top of the cactus ("the crown") has disc-shaped buttons that are cut off and dried.
-   The buttons are chewed or soaked in water to produce an intoxicating liquid.

## What are the effects?

The hallucinogenic effects last about 12 hours.

## What are the dangers?

The effects can cause a chemically induced model of mental illness.

## Is it addictive?

It is not considered an addictive drug like cocaine, heroin, or [alcohol](https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/about-alcohol "Teens: About Alcoholism") because it does not produce the same compulsive drug-seeking behavior.

However, like addictive drugs, mescaline produces greater tolerance in some users who take the drug repeatedly. These users must take higher doses to achieve the same results as they have had in the past.

This could be an extremely dangerous practice because of the unpredictability of the drug effect on an individual.

**Last Reviewed**: October 2013

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