DrugsAlcohol
Caffeine Club Drugs Cocaine Dimethyltryptamine Ecstasy Heroin Inhalants Marijuana Meth Spice Steroids InformationResources |
Vertical Divider
|
DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE
|
|
|
|
DMT is typically crushed into a powder, and even put into pill form.
|
|
|
How DMT is Used/Abused
- Smoked (most common)
- snorted
- injected
- swallowed in pill form or mixed in a drink (although more rare, because it metabolizes quickly, this practice is very common among some indigenous tribes.)
The Effects of f Dymethyltryptamine (DMT)
DMT is an addictive drug with potent psychological and physiological effects. The drug is often considered one of the most potent hallucinogenic.
Like other hallucinogens, DMT distorts a person’s perception of reality, producing visual (and occasionally) auditory hallucinations, feelings of detachment from one’s environment and oneself, distortions of time and perception, and strong feelings of anxiety, fear, and paranoia.
The drug is fully hallucinogenic at small doses (0.2 miligrams). It binds to receptor sites in the central nervous system, where it acts as an agonist (Pierce & Peroutka 1989; Smith et al. 1998). The effects demonstrate very quickly, but usually pass within 30-40 minutes. Some research suggests that humans don’t build a tolerance level with the drug very quickly, (Strassman 1994 – Journal of General Psychiatry).
“Virtually all data sources indicate that the DMT experience has a substantial degree of unpredictability with respect to both aversive and positive aspects, depending on variables such as dosage, participant’s intention, [environment] and setting,” (Gable 2006: 30).
Like other hallucinogens, DMT distorts a person’s perception of reality, producing visual (and occasionally) auditory hallucinations, feelings of detachment from one’s environment and oneself, distortions of time and perception, and strong feelings of anxiety, fear, and paranoia.
The drug is fully hallucinogenic at small doses (0.2 miligrams). It binds to receptor sites in the central nervous system, where it acts as an agonist (Pierce & Peroutka 1989; Smith et al. 1998). The effects demonstrate very quickly, but usually pass within 30-40 minutes. Some research suggests that humans don’t build a tolerance level with the drug very quickly, (Strassman 1994 – Journal of General Psychiatry).
“Virtually all data sources indicate that the DMT experience has a substantial degree of unpredictability with respect to both aversive and positive aspects, depending on variables such as dosage, participant’s intention, [environment] and setting,” (Gable 2006: 30).
Psychological Effects
|
|
|
Physiological Effects
|
|
|
Abuse of the Drug
DMT is extremely difficult to gain access to (and quite expensive), and therefore is more of a ‘delicacy’ among frequent hallucinogen users. It is most commonly abused among 18-25 year olds, but even among them, only 0.2% report having used it within the last year (SAMHSA, 2006 NSDUH). Local law enforcement and therapists say that reports and incidents involving the drug are quite rare.
|
“The drug exists, and therefore is
something that we should be aware of and alerted to; but the cost and difficulty in getting your hands on the substance, as well as available data on use patterns, suggest that it’s probably rare that anyone but heavy hallucinogen users are doing more than experimenting with it.” Logan Reid – Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist (Southwest Behavioral Health Center) |
|
Common Slang Terms
|
|
|
Paraphernalia
|
|
DMT is most often smoked through a glass pipe. Note the tinfoil covering the top, or the glass cap/plug. This is to prevent the vapors from escaping into the air, channeling them down the pipe to the smoker.
|
|
Hallucinogen paraphernalia also include vibrant lights and visual art and fragrances that are “psychedelic” in nature.
