The Native American Church, Peyote, and Health: Expanding Consciousness for Healing Purposes

Abstract

Since the passage of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, Native American Church (NAC) members have continually had to defend their legal right to use the sacred cactus peyote (Lophophora williamsii). This legal right was established with the passage of 21 CFR 1307.31, which exempts peyote's Schedule I status for NAC members. The exemption, however, continues to be challenged by power‐based social arrangements. This article provides a brief history of the NAC, its use of peyote, the Native American beliefs behind the use of peyote, and psychopharmacological data concerning the cactus. It is argued that NAC members do not use peyote as a hallucinogenic drug but as a means whereby members expand access to parts of their consciousness for healing purposes. These healing purposes foster health, balance, respect, and a sense of community among NAC members and their social relations, providing a means of maintaining individual and social justice for Native Americans.

Keywords:

• Native American Church
• Peyote
• Consciousness
• Health
• Cognitive Expansion

Notes

[1] This cultural lifeway was centered around a seasonal resource exploitation pattern, a pattern that was completely disrupted when Native Americans were forced onto reservations on a year‐round basis.