What is mescaline, the new drug that's getting Delhi high? – Firstpost

A drug that thrives in the desert has conquered the party circus in New Delhi, India.

Delhi police have seized the first consignment of mescaline, a substance previously unknown in the city and causing concern.

Accordingly PTIA Nigerian woman was arrested for allegedly smuggling and selling psychotropic substances and 3.87 kilograms of mescaline worth around Rs 15 crore in the international market, police said on Thursday.

Here's everything we know about it.

About Mescaline

According to official information, mescaline, which is often used as a party drug, has the same hallucinogenic effects as LSD and psilocybin (magic mushroom).

It is a natural psychedelic derived from the button-shaped Mexican peyote cactus and the Peruvian and Ecuadorian San Pedro cactus.

The active ingredient is also found in other cacti and bean plants from the Cactaceae and Fabaceae families.

According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, the drug, also known as Buttons, Cactus, Mesc and Peyoto, can affect all of the senses and alter a person's thinking, sense of time and emotions.

It is known for its powerful party effects and can be taken in various forms, such as liquid, tablets, powder or capsules.

Everyone experiences mescaline differently, but the most common effects include euphoria, increased energy, distorted perception of space and time, increased heart rate and blood pressure, severe nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite, increased body temperature, and sweating.

According to reports, the effects of mescaline begin after about 45-90 minutes and can last between nine and 14 hours.

No fatal overdoses from mescaline have been reported.

His story

Mescaline has been used in Native American ceremonial rites for hundreds of years.

The Times of India claims that the substance gained importance in the mid-20th century after Aldous Huxley wrote in his 1954 book about his experiences with the substance: The Gates of Perception.

Because mescaline was believed to have positive effects on mental health, it also became a popular drug in Europe and the USA.

“In the early 2000s, the psychedelic trance band 1200 Micrograms released a song called Mescaline. The psychoactive substance was all the rage in the US and Mexico at the time. Mexico was the only producer of the contraband at the time.” TOI Source explained.

But ultimately, “the lack of supply and the dominance of some Russian groups that overwhelmed the market with LSD offers” led to the substance losing its attractiveness.

Despite its popularity in other countries, the drug never found widespread acceptance in India.

Mexico has long been considered the largest producer of mescaline.

The attack in Delhi

The Delhi Police received information about a global drug trafficking organisation bringing mescaline to Delhi and its surrounding areas in April 2024. The special cell closely monitored every member of this drug network over the next four months, News18.

The effort culminated in a raid in Mehrauli, Delhi, on August 14, 2024, in which Nigerian citizen Faith Rachel was arrested.

When their trolley was searched, 3.8 kilos of high-quality mescaline were found, deceptively hidden between fish products and branded toffee packaging.

The price of these toffees varied depending on the status of the buyer.

The value of the mescaline found is estimated at 15 crore rupees.

Rachael came to India in August 2022 on a medical visa.

She did not return to Nigeria when her visa expired.

According to authorities, she began smuggling drugs after meeting a Nigerian national.

With the help of the above-mentioned person, she joined the drug cartel and was responsible for delivering drug shipments from one channel to another.

An investigation revealed that the substance was manufactured in the drug gang's hidden laboratories outside India.

A global problem

In India, cases related to mescaline are rare.

Two years ago, a smaller quantity of the substance was found in Pune and in 2013 another case was registered in Punjab.

Earlier this year, 18 people were arrested by Spanish police after a raid on a drug den in Madrid on suspicion of trafficking in mescaline and the psychedelic substance ayahuasca, according to a TOI.

These traders advertised their goods as components of “neo-shamanic rituals” that increased mental and physical well-being.

They even planned retreats in which participants took these substances in combination with street poison or the deadly secretions of the “Kambo” frogs.

With contributions from PTI