Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychedelic protoalkaloid of the substituted phenethylamine class, known for its hallucinogenic effects comparable to those of LSD and psilocybin. It occurs naturally in the peyote cactus, the San Pedro cactus, the Peruvian torch, and other species of cactus.
In the United States, mescaline was made illegal in 1970 by the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act, categorized as a Schedule I hallucinogen.
Many states, including the state of Utah, have legalized peyote usage with “sincere religious intent”, or within a religious organization, regardless of race.