Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): Subjective effects and patterns of use among Australian recreational users
Vince Cakic, Jacob Potkonyak, Alex Marshall
Drug and Alcohol Dependence June 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.03.015 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSmoked DMT is the most common route of administration among recreational users, not ayahuasca. Among 121 Australian participants who had used DMT at least once, 98.3% reported smoking it, while only 30.6% had used ayahuasca. The main reasons for first trying DMT were general interest in hallucinogenic drugs (46.6%) or curiosity about its effects (41.7%), and nearly a third (31.1%) cited possible psychotherapeutic benefits. Increased psychospiritual insight was the most commonly reported positive effect for both smoked DMT (75.5%) and ayahuasca (46.7%), aligning with findings from studies of religious ayahuasca use.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 121 |
| Population | Australian adults reporting at least one lifetime use of DMT |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Context archaeology Psychology Recreational drug |
| Citations | 73 |
| Key finding | Smoking is the most prevalent route of administration among recreational DMT users, and increased psychospiritual insight is the most commonly reported positive effect. |
Abstract
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is an endogenous hallucinogen with traditional use as a sacrament in the orally active preparation of ayahuasca. Although the religious use of ayahuasca has been examined extensively, very little is known about the recreational use of DMT. In this study, Australian participants (n=121) reporting at least one lifetime use of DMT completed an online questionnaire recording patterns of use, subjective effects and attitudes towards their DMT use. Smoking DMT was by far the most common route of administration (98.3%) with a comparatively smaller proportion reporting use of ayahuasca (30.6%). The reasons for first trying DMT were out of a general interest in hallucinogenic drugs (46.6%) or curiosity about DMT's effects (41.7%), while almost one-third (31.1%) cited possible psychotherapeutic benefits of the drug. An increase in psychospiritual insight was the most commonly reported positive effect of both smoked DMT (75.5%) and ayahuasca (46.7%), a finding that is consistent with other studies examining the ritualised use of ayahuasca in a religious context. Although previous studies of DMT use have examined ayahuasca use exclusively, the present study demonstrates the ubiquity of smoking as the most prevalent route of administration among recreational DMT users.