What is San Pedro? Facts about the Psychoactive Plant

Published on the ThirdWave website: https://thethirdwave.co/what-is-san-pedro/

“The San Pedro plant is one of many mescaline-containing cacti found throughout the Andes Mountains of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. In recent history, San Pedro has been overshadowed by peyote, aka Lophophora williamsii. Given its geographical distribution from Mexico into Texas, peyote has gained prominence in popular culture, first as the sacrament of the Native American Church, then as a psychedelic used by the counterculture of the 60s and 70s.

More recently, however, concerns have arisen around the sustainability and ethics surrounding peyote. As it becomes increasingly rare due to over-harvesting from popular use, many argue that it should be strictly preserved for indigenous cultural practices. San Pedro, on the other hand, is a fast-growing cactus, so many view it as a better alternative for experiencing mescaline. Still, it is important to recognize that San Pedro, also known as “torch cactus” or “huachuma”, also has a rich cultural history for indigenous groups in the Andean Mountains.

Significant cultures of South America that embraced psychoactive plants include those of the Chimu, the Moche, and, particularly, the Chavin. Chavin de Huantar, located in Ancash, Northern Peru, sits on the edge of a small township set on a narrow plain nestled between the surrounding mountains. To the west is a steep mountain, the slope dotted with huge ancient-looking columnar cacti. To the right, in a field, sits a cluster of buildings that protect the ancient ceremonial site, the plaza, and the underground chambers.”