[…] BOSTON (AP) – A study of the effects of peyote on American Indians found no evidence that the hallucinogenic cactus caused brain damage or psychological problems among people who used it frequently in religious ceremonies.
[…] The study was conducted among Navajos in the Southwest by McLean psychiatrist John Halpern. It compared test results for 60 church members who have used peyote at least 100 times against those for 79 Navajos who do not regularly use peyote and 36 tribe members with a history of alcohol abuse but minimal peyote use.
Those who had abused alcohol fared worse on the tests than the church members, according to the study.
Church members believe peyote offers them spiritual and physical healing, but the researchers could not say with any certainty that peyote’s pharmacological effects were responsible for their test results.
[source: „Peyote Not Harmful to American Indians“ By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN (04.11.2005) – LINK: http://www.guardian.co.uk…]
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