Hallucinogens: what are they?
Hallucinogenic drugs, also known as ‘psychedelics’, are drugs that change the way a person perceives the world. Hallucinogens affect all the senses, altering a person's thinking, sense of time and emotions.
They can cause a person to hallucinate — to see or hear things that do not exist or are distorted.
There are many different kinds of hallucinogens. Some occur naturally, in trees, vines, seeds, fungi and leaves. Others are manufactured in laboratories.
Some examples of hallucinogens include:
- LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide);
- magic mushrooms (psilocybin);
- morning glory seeds;
- datura;
- mescaline (peyote cactus);
- PCP (phencyclidine);
- ketamine;
- ecstasy (MDMA and related drugs, in high doses); and
- cannabis (in high quantities).
How are they used?
Naturally occurring hallucinogens have been used since ancient times, by various cultures throughout the world, for their mystical and spiritual associations.
Hallucinogens became fashionable in the United States and Europe in the 1960s, when many young people were pursuing greater personal freedom and questioning old values and ideas.
Generally, people who use hallucinogens don't take them on a regular basis, but on occasions that may be weeks or months apart. This may be because the effects require a long recovery time or because the pleasurable effects are unpredictable.
Medicinal uses
Some hallucinogens are used in clinical medicine. For example, ketamine is sometimes used in medical and veterinary settings as a short-acting anaesthetic.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, LSD was unsuccessfully trialled in some countries as a treatment for a range of psychiatric and other disorders.
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)
LSD is produced by processing a substance found in ergot, which is a fungus that infects rye. It is a highly potent drug, so only very small doses are usually taken.
Street names
Acid, trips, microdots, dots.
What does it look like?
In its pure state, LSD is a white, odourless powder. It usually comes in the form of squares of gelatin or blotting paper that have been impregnated with the drug. LSD is also sold in liquid form, or as tablets or capsules.
How is it used?
LSD is usually swallowed, sniffed, injected or smoked.
PCP (phencyclidine)
PCP is a dissociative anaesthetic. It was originally trialled with humans before being limited to use as an anaesthetic in veterinary medicine.
Street names
Angel dust, peace pill.
What does it look like?
In its pure state, PCP is a white crystalline powder. It usually comes in the form of pills, capsules or powders of various colours.
How is it used?
PCP is usually swallowed, sniffed or injected. It is sometimes also sprinkled onto tobacco or cannabis and smoked.
Magic mushrooms (psilocybin)
There are several varieties of magic mushrooms — ‘golden tops’, ‘blue meanies’ and ‘liberty caps’ are some of the types found in Australia that have the active ingredient psilocybin.
Street names
Shrooms, mushies, magics, golden tops, blue meanies, liberty caps.
What does it look like?
Magic mushrooms look much like ordinary dried mushrooms, or they come as a powdered material in capsules. Synthetic psilocybin appears as a white crystalline powder that may be formulated into tablets or capsules, or dissolved in a liquid.
How is it used?
Magic mushrooms are usually eaten fresh, cooked, or brewed into a ‘tea’. Occasionally, they may be mixed with tobacco or cannabis and smoked.
It is easy to mistake poisonous mushrooms for those containing psilocybin. Certain kinds of poisonous mushrooms can cause death or permanent liver damage within hours of ingestion.
Ketamine
Ketamine hydrochloride is a dissociative anaesthetic that is sometimes used in medical and veterinary settings. Dissociative anaesthetics can make a person feel as though they are detached from reality.
Street names
Special K, K, ket, kitkat, super K.
What does it look like?
Ketamine is a white crystalline powder that can be made into tablets or pills, or dissolved in liquid.
How is it used?
Ketamine is usually swallowed, snorted or injected. It is also sometimes smoked with other substances such as cannabis or tobacco.
Mescaline
Mescaline is a naturally occurring hallucinogen that comes from the peyote cactus, Lophophora williamsii. It can also be produced synthetically.
What does it look like?
In its pure state, mescaline sulphate is a white crystalline powder. Synthetic mescaline may appear in powder form and in various colours. Dried, ground peyote buttons are usually in the form of capsules.
How is it used?
Mescaline is usually swallowed. Peyote buttons are sometimes chewed, or ground and smoked.
Other hallucinogens
Some of the other types of hallucinogens include those that naturally occur in a range of plants such as Atropa belladonna (the ‘deadly nightshade’) and Datura stramonium, and the seeds of some plants in the Convolvulaceae family (morning glory seeds).
Cannabis and ecstasy can also have hallucinogenic effects.
Cannabis
In low doses, cannabis is a depressant drug that slows down the body's systems. Very strong cannabis preparations or larger quantities of cannabis can cause mild hallucinogenic effects.
Ecstasy (MDMA and related drugs)
The drug known as ecstasy is similar to both amphetamines and hallucinogens in chemical structure and effect. Ecstasy can have hallucinogenic properties when used in high quantities.
For more information, please click on the Australian Drug Foundation's DrugInfo Clearinghouse web site link below.
Last Reviewed: 21 March 2007
