A study of Huichol Indians in northern Mexico, lifelong users of the hallucinogen peyote (a mescaline-containing cactus), found no increase in chromosomal aberrations in their peripheral-blood lymphocytes. The results are clear-cut and negative, providing reassurance amid earlier controversy over whether psychoactive agents like LSD and marijuana might induce chromosomal damage. The authors did not demonstrate any increase in chromosomal damage from peyote use.
An executive order supports the development and approval of psychedelic drugs, but their integration into clinical care raises ethical and evidence-based concerns that must be addressed.