Hallucinogens are a class of drugs that cause hallucinations—profound distortions in a person’s perceptions of reality. Hallucinogens can be found in some plants and mushrooms (or their extracts) or can be man-made, and they are commonly divided into two broad categories: classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP). When under the influence of either type of drug, people often report rapid, intense emotional swings and seeing images, hearing sounds, and feeling sensations that seem real  but are not.  

While the exact mechanisms by which hallucinogens and dissociative drugs cause  their effects are not yet clearly understood, research suggests that they work at least partially by temporarily disrupting communication between neurotransmitter systems throughout  the brain and spinal cord that regulate mood, sensory perception, sleep, hunger, body  temperature, sexual behavior, and muscle control.

What are hallucinogens?

Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter a person’s awareness of their surroundings as well as their own thoughts and feelings. They are commonly split into two categories: classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP). Both types of hallucinogens can cause hallucinations, or sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Additionally, dissociative drugs can cause users to feel out of control or disconnected from their body and environment.

Some hallucinogens are extracted from plants or mushrooms, and some are synthetic (human-made). Historically, people have used hallucinogens for religious or healing rituals. More recently, people report using these drugs for social or recreational purposes, including to have fun, deal with stress, have spiritual experiences, or just to feel different.

Common classic hallucinogens include the following:

• LSD (D-lysergic acid diethylamide) is one of the most powerful mind-altering chemicals. It is a clear or white odorless material made from lysergic acid, which is found in a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. LSD has many other street names, including acid, blotter acid, dots, and mellow yellow.
• Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) comes from certain types of mushrooms found in tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and the United States. Some common names for psilocybin include little smoke, magic mushrooms, and shrooms.
• Peyote (mescaline) is a small, spineless cactus with mescaline as its main ingredient. Peyote can also be synthetic. Common names for peyote are buttons, cactus, and mesc.
• DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is a powerful chemical found naturally in some Amazonian plants. Ayahuasca is a tea made from such plants, and when taken in this form it is also known as hoasca, aya, and yagé. People can also make DMT in a lab. Synthetic DMT usually takes the form of a white crystalline powder that is smoked. A popular name for synthetic DMT is Dimitri.
• 251-NBOMe is a synthetic hallucinogen with similarities both to LSD and MDMA (see DrugFacts: MDMA) but that is much more potent. Developed for use in brain research, when sold on the street it is sometimes called N Bomb or 251.

Common examples of dissociative drugs include the following:

• PCP (Phencyclidine) was developed in the 1950s as a general anesthetic for surgery, but it is no longer used for this purpose due to serious side effects. PCP can be found in a variety of forms, including tablets or capsules; however, liquid and white crystal powder are the most common. PCP has various slang names, such as Angel Dust, Hog, Love Boat, and Peace Pill.
• Ketamine is used as a surgery anesthetic for humans and animals. Much of the ketamine sold on the streets comes from veterinary offices. It mostly sells as a powder or as pills, but it also available as an injectable liquid. Ketamine is snorted or sometimes added to drinks as a date-rape drug. Slang names for ketamine include Special K and Cat Valium.
• Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a cough suppressant and mucus-clearing ingredient in some over-the-counter cold and cough medicines (syrups, tablets, and gel capsules). Robo is a common slang name for DXM.
• Salvia (Salvia divinorum) is a plant common to southern Mexico and Central and South America. Salvia is typically ingested by chewing fresh leaves or by drinking their extracted juices. The dried leaves of salvia can also be smoked or vaporized and inhaled. Popular names for salvia are Diviner's Sage, Maria Pastora, Sally-D, and Magic Mint.

How do people use hallucinogens?

People use hallucinogens in a wide variety of ways, as shown in the following chart:

How do hallucinogens affect the brain?

Research suggests that classic hallucinogens work at least partially by temporarily disrupting communication between brain chemical systems throughout the brain and spinal cord. Some hallucinogens interfere with the action of the brain chemical serotonin, which regulates:

• mood
• sensory perception
• sleep
• hunger
• body temperature
• sexual behavior
• intestinal muscle control

Dissociative hallucinogenic drugs interfere with the action of the brain chemical glutamate, which regulates:

• pain perception
• responses to the environment
• emotion
• learning and memory

What are some other effects of hallucinogens?

Classic Hallucinogens
Short-Term Effects

Classic hallucinogens can cause users to see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. The effects generally begin within 20 to 90 minutes and can last as long as 12 hours in some cases (LSD) or as short as 15 minutes in others (synthetic DMT). Hallucinogen users refer to the experiences brought on by these drugs as "trips." If the experience is unpleasant, users sometimes call it a "bad trip."

Along with hallucinations, other short-term general effects include:

• increased heart rate
• nausea
• intensified feelings and sensory experiences (such as seeing brighter colors)
• changes in sense of time (for example, the feeling that time is passing by slowly)

Specific short-term effects of some hallucinogens include:

• increased blood pressure, breathing rate, or body temperature
• loss of appetite
• dry mouth
• sleep problems
• spiritual experiences
• feelings of relaxation
• uncoordinated movements
• excessive sweating
• panic
• paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others
• psychosis—disordered thinking detached from reality
• bizarre behaviors

Long-Term Effects

Two long-term effects have been associated with use of classic hallucinogens, although these effects are rare.

• Persistent Psychosis—a series of continuing mental problems, including:
  • visual disturbances
  • disorganized thinking
  • paranoia
  • mood changes
• Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPDD)—recurrences of certain drug experiences, such as hallucinations or other visual disturbances. These flashbacks often happen without warning and may occur within a few days or more than a year after drug use. These symptoms are sometimes mistaken for other disorders, such as stroke or a brain tumor.

Both conditions are seen more often in people who have a history of mental illness, but they can happen to anyone, even after using hallucinogens one time. For HPDD, some antidepressant and antipsychotic medications can be used to improve mood and treat psychosis. Behavioral therapies can be used to help people cope with fear or confusion associated with visual disturbances.

Dissociative Drugs
Short-Term Effects

Dissociative drug effects can appear within a few minutes and can last several hours in some cases; some users report experiencing drug effects for days.

Effects on a Developing Fetus

While the effects of most hallucinogens on the developing fetus are unknown, researchers do know that mescaline in peyote may affect the fetus of a pregnant woman using the drug.

Effects depend on how much is used. In low and moderate doses, dissociative drugs can cause:

• numbness
• disorientation and loss of coordination
• hallucinations
• increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature

In high doses, dissociative drugs can cause the following effects:

• memory loss
• panic and anxiety
• seizures
• psychotic symptoms
• amnesia
• inability to move
• mood swings
• trouble breathing

Long-Term Effects of Dissociative Drugs

More research is needed on the long-term effects of dissociative drugs. Researchers do know repeated use of PCP can result in addiction. Other long-term effects may continue for a year or more after use stops, including:

• speech problems
• memory loss
• weight loss
• anxiety
• depression and suicidal thoughts

Can a person overdose on hallucinogens?

It depends on the drug. An overdose occurs when a person uses enough of a drug to produce serious adverse effects, life-threatening symptoms, or death. Most classic hallucinogens may produce extremely unpleasant experiences at high doses, although the effects are not necessarily life-threatening. However, serious medical emergencies and several fatalities have been reported from 251-NBOMe.

Overdose is more likely with some dissociative drugs. High doses of PCP can cause seizures, coma, and death. Additionally, taking PCP with depressants such as alcohol or benzodiazepines can also lead to coma. Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), are prescribed to relieve anxiety or promote sleep.

However, users of both classic hallucinogens and dissociative drugs also risk serious harm because of the profound alteration of perception and mood these drugs can cause.

• Users might do things they would never do in real life, like jump out of a window or off a roof, for instance, or they may experience profound suicidal feelings and act on them.
• With all drugs there is also a risk of accidental poisoning from contaminants or other substances mixed with the drug.
• Users of psilocybin also run the risk of accidentally consuming poisonous mushrooms that look like psilocybin. Taking poisonous mushrooms can result in severe illness or possible death.

Are hallucinogens addictive?

In some cases, yes. Evidence suggests that certain hallucinogens can be addictive, and that people can develop a tolerance to them.

For example, LSD is not considered an addictive drug because it doesn't cause uncontrollable drug-seeking behavior. However, LSD does produce tolerance, so some users who take the drug repeatedly must take higher doses to achieve the same effect. This is an extremely dangerous practice, given the unpredictability of the drug. In addition, LSD produces tolerance to other hallucinogens, including psilocybin.

The misuse and addiction potential of DMT is currently unknown. Unlike other hallucinogens, DMT does not appear to lead to tolerance. There is also little evidence that taking it in the form of ayahuasca tea can lead to addiction.

On the other hand, PCP is a hallucinogen that can be addictive. People who stop repeated use of PCP experience drug cravings, headaches, and sweating as common withdrawal symptoms.

More research is needed on the tolerance or addiction potential of a variety of hallucinogens.

Tolerance vs. Dependence vs. Addiction

Long-term use of prescription opioids, even as prescribed by a doctor, can cause some people to develop a tolerance, which means that they need higher and/or more frequent doses of the drug to get the desired effects.

Drug dependence occurs with repeated use, causing the neurons to adapt so they only function normally in the presence of the drug. The absence of the drug causes several physiological reactions, ranging from mild in the case of caffeine, to potentially life-threatening, such as with heroin. Some chronic pain patients are dependent on opioids and require medical support to stop taking the drug.

Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences and long-lasting changes in the brain. The changes can result in harmful behaviors by those who misuse drugs, whether prescription or illicit drugs.

How is a hallucinogen addiction treated?

There are no FDA-approved medications to treat addiction to hallucinogens. While behavioral treatments can be helpful for patients with a variety of addictions, scientists need more research to find out if behavioral therapies are effective for addiction to hallucinogens.

Could hallucinogens be medicines?

Potentially. Some hallucinogens have been studied for possible therapeutic benefits in treating mental disorders such as depression.

Ketamine was approved many years ago as an anesthetic for painful medical procedures. In March 2019, the medicine esketamine (called “Spravato” by the manufacturer) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for severe depression in patients that do not respond to other treatments. Esketamine is closely related to the drug ketamine which is used illicitly and so there are concerns about the potential for abuse of this newly approved medication. In response, esketamine will be limited to administration in medical facilities.

Unlike a prescription that can be taken home and might be diverted into recreational use, esketamine will be administered in a medical office as a nasal spray. Patients must wait at least 2 hours under medical supervision to ensure proper management of potential side effects. It is a rapid acting medication, so improvements may be seen immediately or within the first few weeks of treatment (unlike most other antidepressants which can take weeks to begin to show an effect). Traditional antidepressants target the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine. Esketamine affects the receptor for a different brain chemical called glutamate and so it represents a new approach to treating depression.

Evidence has also mounted in recent years that psilocybin may be effective in treating depression, and this is currently being studied in clinical trials. Psilocybin is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but in 2018, the FDA granted “Breakthrough Therapy” designation to one pharmaceutical company to facilitate clinical trials for its psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression; the trials will determine the most optimal dose of the drug. It has also been studied as a possible treatment for depression and anxiety suffered by people with terminal illnesses.

Points to Remember

• Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter perception, thoughts, and feelings. They cause hallucinations, or sensations and images that seem real, but they are not.
• Hallucinogens are split into two categories: classic hallucinogens and dissociative drugs.
• People use hallucinogens in a wide variety of ways, including smoking, snorting, and absorbing through the lining in the mouth.
• The effects of classic hallucinogens can begin with 20 to 90 minutes of taking them and include increased heart rate, nausea, intensified feelings and sensory experiences, and changes in sense of time.
• The effects of dissociative drugs can begin within minutes and can last several hours and include numbness, disorientation and loss of coordination, hallucinations, and increased blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.
• Persistent psychosis and flashbacks are two long-term effects associated with some hallucinogens.
• Evidence suggests a few hallucinogens can be addictive, and some of them can produce tolerance.
• There are no FDA-approved medications to treat addiction to hallucinogens. Scientists need more research to find out if behavioral therapies are effective for addiction to hallucinogens.
• Some hallucinogens are being studied as possible therapies for depression. Esketamine was recently approved by the FDA as a treatment for severe depression in patients that do not respond to other treatments.

Hallucinogenic and dissociative drugs have been used for a variety of reasons (Bogenschutz, 2012; Bonson, 2001). Historically, hallucinogenic plants have been used for religious rituals to induce states of detachment from reality and precipitate “visions” thought to provide mystical insight or enable contact with a spirit world or “higher power.” More recently, people report using hallucinogenic drugs for more social or recreational purposes, including to have fun, help them deal with stress, or enable them to enter into what they perceive as a more enlightened sense of thinking or being. Hallucinogens have also been investigated as therapeutic agents to treat diseases associated with perceptual distortions, such as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and dementia. Anecdotal reports and small studies have suggested that ayahuasca may be a potential treatment for substance use disorders and other mental health issues, but no large-scale research has verified its efficacy (Barbosa, 2012).

Classic Hallucinogens*

LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide)—also known as acid, blotter, doses, hits, microdots, sugar cubes, trips, tabs, or window panes—is one of the most potent mood- and perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. It is a clear or white, odorless, water-soluble material synthesized from lysergic acid, a compound derived from a rye fungus. LSD is initially produced in crystalline form, which can then be used to produce tablets known as “microdots” or thin squares of gelatin called “window panes.” It can also be diluted with water or alcohol and sold in liquid form. The most common form, however, is LSD-soaked paper punched into small individual squares, known as “blotters.”

Psilocybin(4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine)—also known as magic mushrooms, shrooms, boomers, or little smoke—is extracted from certain types of mushrooms found in tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and the United States. In the past, psilocybin was ingested during religious ceremonies by indigenous cultures from Mexico and Central America. Psilocybin can either be dried or fresh and eaten raw, mixed with food, or brewed into a tea, and produces similar effects to LSD.

Peyote (Mescaline)—also known as buttons, cactus, and mesc—is a small, spineless cactus with mescaline as its main ingredient. It has been used by natives in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States as a part of religious ceremonies. The top, or “crown,” of the peyote cactus has disc-shaped buttons that are cut out, dried, and usually chewed or soaked in water to produce an intoxicating liquid. Because the extract is so bitter, some users prepare a tea by boiling the plant for several hours. Mescaline can also be produced through chemical synthesis.

DMT (Dimethyltryptamine)—also known as Dimitri—is a powerful hallucinogenic chemical found naturally occurring in some Amazonian plant species (see “Ayahuasca”) and also synthesized in the laboratory. Synthetic DMT usually takes the form of a white crystalline powder and is typically vaporized or smoked in a pipe.

Ayahuasca—also known as hoasca, aya, and yagé—is a hallucinogenic brew made from one of several Amazonian plants containing DMT (the primary psychoactive ingredient) along with a vine containing a natural alkaloid that prevents the normal breakdown of DMT in the digestive tract. Ayahuasca tea has traditionally been used for healing and religious purposes in indigenous South American cultures, mainly in the Amazon region.

Dissociative Drugs

PCP (Phencyclidine)—also known as ozone, rocket fuel, love boat, hog, embalming fluid, or superweed—was originally developed in the 1950s as a general anesthetic for surgery. While it can be found in a variety of forms, including tablets or capsules, it is usually sold as a liquid or powder. PCP can be snorted, smoked, injected, or swallowed. It is sometimes smoked after being sprinkled on marijuana, tobacco, or parsley.

Ketamine—also known as K, Special K, or cat Valium—is a dissociative currently used as an anesthetic for humans as well as animals. Much of the ketamine sold on the street has been diverted from veterinary offices. Although it is manufactured as an injectable liquid, ketamine is generally evaporated to form a powder that is snorted or compressed into pills for illicit use. Because ketamine is odorless and tasteless and has amnesia-inducing properties, it is sometimes added to drinks to facilitate sexual assault.

DXM (Dextromethorphan)—also known as robo—is a cough suppressant and expectorant ingredient in some over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medications that are often abused by adolescents and young adults. The most common sources of abused DXM are “extra-strength” cough syrup, which typically contains around 15 milligrams of DXM per teaspoon, and pills and gel capsules, which typically contain 15 milligrams of DXM per pill. OTC medications that contain DXM often also contain antihistamines and decongestants.

Salvia divinorum—also known as diviner’s sage, Maria Pastora, Sally-D, or magic mint—is a psychoactive plant common to southern Mexico and Central and South America. Salvia is typically ingested by chewing fresh leaves or by drinking their extracted juices. The dried leaves of salvia can also be smoked or vaporized and inhaled.

*In this report, the term “hallucinogen” will refer to the classic hallucinogenic drugs LSD and Psilocybin.

How Do Hallucinogens Work?

Classic hallucinogens are thought to produce their perception-altering effects by acting on neural circuits in the brain that use the neurotransmitter serotonin (Passie, 2008; Nichols, 2004; Schindler, 2012; Lee, 2012). Specifically, some of their most prominent effects occur in the prefrontal cortex—an area involved in mood, cognition, and perception—as well as other regions important in regulating arousal and physiological responses to stress and panic.

What Are the Short-Term Effects of Hallucinogens?

Ingesting hallucinogenic drugs can cause users to see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. Their effects typically begin within 20 to 90 minutes of ingestion and can last as long as 12 hours. Experiences are often unpredictable and may vary with the amount ingested and the user’s personality, mood, expectations, and surroundings. The effects of hallucinogens like LSD can be described as drug-induced psychosis—distortion or disorganization of a person’s capacity to recognize reality, think rationally, or communicate with others. Users refer to LSD and other hallucinogenic experiences as “trips” and to acute adverse or unpleasant experiences as “bad trips.” On some trips, users experience sensations that are enjoyable and mentally stimulating and that produce a sense of heightened understanding. Bad trips, however, include terrifying thoughts and nightmarish feelings of anxiety and despair that include fears of losing control, insanity, or death.

Like LSD and psilocybin, DMT produces its effects through action at serotonin (5-HT) receptors in the brain (Strassman, 1996). Some research has suggested that DMT occurs naturally in the human brain in small quantities, leading to the hypothesis that release of endogenous DMT may be involved in reports of alien abductions, spontaneous mystical experiences, and near-death experiences, but this remains controversial (Barker, 2012).

Specific short-term effects of LSD, psilocybin, peyote, DMT, and ayahuasca include:

LSD

• Increased blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature
• Dizziness and sleeplessness
• Loss of appetite, dry mouth,and sweating
• Numbness, weakness, and tremors
• Impulsiveness and rapid emotional shifts that can range from fear to euphoria, with transitions so rapid that the user may seem to experience several emotions simultaneously

Psilocybin

• Feelings of relaxation (similar to effects of low doses of marijuana)
• Nervousness, paranoia, and panic reactions
• Introspective/spiritual experiences
• Misidentification of poisonous mushrooms resembling psilocybin could lead to unintentional, potentially fatal poisoning

Peyote

• Increased body temperature and heart rate
• Uncoordinated movements (ataxia)
• Profound sweating
• Flushing

DMT

• Increased heart rate
• Agitation
• Hallucinations frequently involving radically altered environments as well as body and spatial distortions

Ayahuasca

• Increased blood pressure
• Severe vomiting (induced by the tea)
• Profoundly altered state of awareness and perceptions of otherworldly imagery

Short-Term General Effects of Hallucinogens

Sensory Effects

• Hallucinations, including seeing, hearing, touching, or smelling things in a distorted way or perceiving things that do not exist
• Intensified feelings and sensory experiences (brighter colors, sharper sounds)
• Mixed senses (“seeing” sounds or “hearing” colors)
• Changes in sense or perception of time (time goes by slowly)

Physical Effects

• Increased energy and heart rate
• Nausea

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Hallucinogens?

LSD users quickly develop a high degree of tolerance to the drug’s effects, such that repeated use requires increasingly larger doses to produce similar effects. Use of hallucinogenic drugs also produces tolerance to other drugs in this class, including psilocybin and peyote. Use of classic hallucinogens does not, however, produce tolerance to drugs that do not act directly on the same brain cell receptors. In other words, there is no cross-tolerance to drugs that act on other neurotransmitter systems, such as marijuana, amphetamines, or PCP, among others. Furthermore, tolerance for hallucinogenic drugs is short-lived—it is lost if the user stops taking the drugs for several days—and physical withdrawal symptoms are not typically experienced when chronic use is stopped.

The long-term residual psychological and cognitive effects of peyote remain poorly understood. Although one study found no evidence of psychological or cognitive deficits among Native Americans who use peyote regularly in a religious setting, those findings may not generalize to those who repeatedly abuse the drug for recreational purposes (Halpern, 2005). Peyote users may also experience hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD)—also often referred to as flashbacks. The active ingredient mescaline has also been associated, in at least one report, to fetal abnormalities (Gilmore, 2001).

Long-term effects of DMT use and abuse and addiction liability are currently unknown. Unlike most other hallucinogens, DMT does not appear to induce tolerance (Winstock, 2013).

As with some other hallucinogens, there is little information to suggest that ayahuasca use creates lasting physiological or neurological deficits, especially among those using the brew for religious activities.

Overall, two long-term effects—persistent psychosis and HPPD—have been associated with use of classic hallucinogens (see text box below). Although occurrence of either is rare, it is also unpredictable and may happen more often than previously thought, and sometimes both conditions occur together. While the exact causes are not known, both conditions are more often seen in individuals with a history of psychological problems but can happen to anyone, even after a single exposure. There is no established treatment for HPPD, in which flashbacks may occur spontaneously and repeatedly although less intensely than their initial occurrence. Some antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs can be prescribed to help improve mood and treat psychoses, however. Psychotherapy may also help patients cope with fear or confusion associated with visual disturbances or other consequences of long-term LSD use. More research on the causes, incidence, and long-term effects of both disorders is being conducted.

Long-Term Effects of Hallucinogens

Persistent psychosis

• Visual disturbances
• Disorganized thinking
• Paranoia
• Mood disturbances

Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)

• Hallucinations
• Other visual disturbances (such as seeing halos or trails attached to moving objects)
• Symptoms sometimes mistaken for neurological disorders (such as stroke or brain tumor)

How Do Dissociative Drugs Work?

Laboratory studies suggest that dissociative drugs, including PCP, ketamine, and DXM, cause their effects by disrupting the actions of the brain chemical glutamate at certain types of receptors—called N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors—on nerve cells throughout the brain (Morgan, 2012; Morris, 2005). Glutamate plays a major role in cognition (including learning and memory), emotion, and the perception of pain (the latter via activation of pain-regulating cells outside of the brain). PCP also alters the actions of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for the euphoria and “rush” associated with many abused drugs.

Salvia divinorum works differently. While classified as a dissociative drug, salvia causes its effects by activating the kappa opioid receptor on nerve cells (Cunningham, 2011; MacLean, 2013). These receptors differ from those activated by the more commonly known opioids such as heroin and morphine.

What Are the Short-Term Effects of Dissociative Drugs?

Dissociative drugs can produce visual and auditory distortions and a sense of floating and dissociation (feeling detached from reality) in users. Use of dissociative drugs can also cause anxiety, memory loss, and impaired motor function, including body tremors and numbness. These effects, which depend on the amount of the drug taken, are also unpredictable—typically beginning within minutes of ingestion and lasting for several hours, although some users report feeling the drug’s effects for days. See text box for general effects of dissociative drugs.

General Common Effects of Dissociative Drugs

In addition to these general effects, different dissociative drugs can produce a variety of distinct and dangerous effects. For example, at moderate to high doses, PCP can cause a user to have seizures or severe muscle contractions, become aggressive or violent, or even experience psychotic symptoms similar to schizophrenia. At moderate to high doses, ketamine can cause sedation, immobility, and amnesia. At high doses, ketamine users also report experiencing terrifying feelings of almost complete sensory detachment likened to a near-death experience (called a “K-hole,” similar to a bad LSD trip). Salvia users report intense but short-lived effects—up to 30 minutes—including emotional mood swings ranging from sadness to uncontrolled laughter.

DXM, which is safe and effective as a cough suppressant and expectorant when used at recommended doses (typically 15 to 30 milligrams), can lead to serious side effects when abused. For example, use of DXM at doses from 200 to 1,500 milligrams can produce dissociative effects similar to PCP and ketamine and increase the risk of serious central nervous system and cardiovascular effects such as respiratory distress, seizures, and increased heart rate from the antihistamines found in cough medicines.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Dissociative Drugs?

While the long-term use of most dissociative drugs has not been investigated systematically, research shows that repeated use of PCP can lead to tolerance and the development of a substance use disorder that includes a withdrawal syndrome (including craving for the drug, headaches, and sweating) when drug use is stopped. Other effects of long-term PCP use include persistent speech difficulties, memory loss, depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and social withdrawal that may persist for a year or more after chronic use stops.

What is it?

General, short-acting anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects. Sometimes used to facilitate sexual assault crimes.

Street Names

Special K, Cat Valium, Kit Kat, K, Super Acid, Super K, Purple, Special La Coke, Jet, Vitamin K

How is it used?

•    Injected
•    Liquid mixed with liquids 
•    Powder that is snorted mixed in drinks, or smoked

Paraphernalia

How does it affect the body?

• Hallucinatory effects last 30-60 minutes
• Distorts sights and sounds
• Induces feelings of calmness and relaxation, relief from pain
• Immobility and amnesia
• Body feels out of control
• Agitation, depression, unconsciousness
• Hallucinations
• Flashbacks

What is it?

Cough suppressor found in many over-the-counter medications, such as cough syrup, tablets, capsules, or powder. Popular over-the-counter brands: Robitussin, Coricidin HBP

Street Names

CCC, DXM, Poor Man’s PCP, Robo, Skittles, Triple C

How is it used?

DXM is taken by drinking cough syrup or swallowing tablets, capsules, or powder. Extensive “how to" abuse information on various web sites. Preferred by teenagers and younger for its easy accessibility. Tablets are easy to conceal and students will take them in school.

How does it affect the body?

• Increase in perceptual awareness, altered time perception
• Hallucinations, confusion
• Addictive
• Loss of coordination, slurred speech, sweating, lethargy
• High doses of DXM with alcohol or other drugs, including antidepressants, can cause death.

What is it?

Very strong hallucinogen sold on streets that is odorless and colorless with high potential for abuse.

Street Names

Acid, Blotter Acid, Dots, Mellow Yellow, Window Pane

How is it used?

•    Added to absorbent paper such as blotter paper divided into square dosage units
•    Tablets or capsules
•    Occasionally in liquid form 

How does it affect the body?

• Hallucinations
• Distorted perception of shape and size of objects, colors, and sounds
• Acute anxiety and depression
• Flashbacks days and even months after
• Elevated heart rate, higher body temperature, increased blood pressure, dilated pupils
• Overdose symptoms: longer, more intense episodes, psychosis and death.

What is it?

Synthetically produced hallucinogen

Street Names

Angel Dust, Boat, Crystal, Embalming Fluid, Hog, Ozone, Rocket Fuel, Shermans, Supergrass, Tic Tac, Wack, Zoom

How is it used?

• Tablets, capsules are swallowed
• In powder form, snorted
• Leafy material sprayed or dipped in liquid and smoked

Paraphernalia

How does it affect the body?

• Dissociative drug, induces distortion of sight and sound and produces feelings of detachment
• Disorientation, delirium
• Sedation, immobility, amnesia
• Numbness, slurred speech, loss of coordination
• Feeling of strength, power, and invulnerability
• Increased blood pressure, rapid and shallow breathing, elevated heart rate and temperature
• Addictive

What is it?

Small spineless cactus with active ingredient mescaline, a hallucinogen. Has disc-shaped “buttons” that are cut off and used.

Street Names

Buttons, Cactus, Mesc, Peyoto

How is it used?

•    Fresh or dried buttons are chewed 
•    Buttons soaked in water to produce intoxicating liquid
•    Ground into powder for capsules and swallowed 
•    Smoked with marijuana and tobacco

How does it affect the body?

• Hallucinations
• Altered perceptions of space and time
• Nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate
• Rise in body temperature
• Impaired motor coordination
• Euphoria, anxiety

What is it?

Hallucinogenic chemical obtained from certain types of fresh and dried mushrooms. Has slender stems topped by caps with dark gills on the underside.

Street Names

Magic mushrooms, Shrooms, Mushrooms

How is it used?

• Ingested orally
• Brewed as tea
• Added to foods to mask bitter flavor

How does it affect the body?

• Hallucinations
• Large amounts can cause panic attacks and psychosis
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle weakness, lack of coordination
• Overdose may result in psychosis or death

What is it?

Depressant and benzodiazepine with generic name Flunitrazepam. It is not approved for medical use in the United States. Used by cocaine abusers to relieve side effects, and also used as a “date rape” drug.

Street Names

Circles, Forget Me Pill, La Rocha, Lunch Money Drug, Mexican Valium, Pingus, R2, Roach 2, Ruffies, Rophies, Wolfies

How is it used?

• Oblong olive green tablet, swallowed, crushed and snorted
• Can be dissolved in liquids
• When placed in a light-colored drink, will dye it blue

Paraphernalia

How does it affect the body?

• Muscle relaxant, decreased anxiety
• Drowsiness, amnesia, sleep
• Slurred speech, loss of coordination
• Impaired mental function, confusion
• Addictive