DMT

History of DMT and the law§

History

DMT was first synthesized in 1931. In 1946 it’s natural occurence in plants was discovered. For centuries, the psychedelic brew called ayahuasca has been consumed by people living in the Amazon. The word ayahuasca means ‘vine of the soul’. Indians from this area use it in religious rituals, but it also plays an important role as a traditional medicine. Nowadays ayahuasca is also used as a sacrament by religious groups, such as the Santo Daime and the Uniao do Vegetal. These groups have roots in Brazil, but have locations all over the world (including the Netherlands). Within these churches Christian aspects are mixed with animistic and shamanic rituals. In the Netherlands spiritual ayahuasca sessions are also organized for small groups of interested people, who are not connected to a religious organization.

The law

DMT is on List I of the Opium Act and is therefore prohibited in the Netherlands. The use of ayahuasca is also prohibited. The Sainto Daime had an exceptional position for a while. They were allowed to use it as part of their religion. But that is forbidden now as well. Check the theme The law for more info.

How to use DMT and Ayahuasca§

DMT is not effective when taken orally (eating, swallowing), so you have to smoke or inject DMT to experience the effect. This is because DMT is immediately converted by MAO enzymes in the liver and stomach into a non-psychoactive compound. MAO enzymes are responsible for the breakdown of certain substances, the monoamines. Usually DMT is smoked or vaporized using a bong or glass DMT pipe. The smoke that is released has the smell and taste of burnt plastic.

Read more about the method of use on the Azarius website.

When DMT is combined with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) the DMT will not be broken down. The DMT than has a chance to reach the brain and have an effect when ingested orally. This is the case with ayahuasca. Ayahuasca is a brown-red drink, a kind of tea, that tastes very bitter.

Dosage of DMT and Ayahuasca§

DMT

The recommended dose is 25-40 mg; this should be weighed. Doses of less than 25 mg usually produce mild effects without ‘break through’. Doses above 50 mg can be VERY strong and are not recommended for people who want to use DMT for the first time.

When injected intramuscularly the effects start  at 30 mg and a complete psychedelic experience is experienced at 50-70 mg (75 mg injected, 30 mg via inhalation).

Ayahuasca

The strength of the ‘tea’ can vary enormously per batch (each produced quantity). It varies both in strength and in the nature of the psychoactive effect. This is due to the skill of the shaman who produces the blend, but also to the other plants or other additions which could be added. Therefor it is not possible to give a dose.

Effects of DMT and Ayahuasca§

The effect of DMT is greatly influenced by the kind of mood you are in, but also how you feel physically. And the location where you drink or use can influence the effect of DMT. Personal factors can also play a role. One person may react more strongly to a drug than another person. After all, every body, every person but also every situation is different.

Smoking DMT

When you smoke DMT a short but very intense psychedelic high is experienced. It usually starts after just a few seconds, lasts for about 10 to 15 minutes and then subsides. After half an hour you are completely sober again. That is why it is called “the businessman’s lunch trip”.It is possible to fly from your desk to the end of the cosmos and be back at your desk again  within half an hour. Because the effects occur within seconds it is important to use it in a safe and quiet environment. Often the journey is experienced sitting or lying down. The DMT-trip is mainly a visual trip. The visual effects are strongest with your eyes closed, but they are also noticeable with eyes open. The effects vary from quiet, dreamy, landscape-like visuals to fast cartoon-like visuals, contacts with angels, extraterrestrials or all other kinds of DMT creatures.

Apart from the visual effects it often gives a euphoric feeling. There’s often a strong urge to share the experience with fellow trippers, although the experience can’t be described in words. The smoked DMT experience is considered by users to be psychedelic, spiritual and insightful.

The effects of DMT can be very intense. So it is important to make sure you feel good physically and mentally before you start. It is also possible that  panic reactions occur because of the intensity of the effects. Try to be prepared for an intense experience and don’t try to stop the effects should it be a bumpy ride.

Ayahuasca

The first effects are felt within twenty to sixty minutes after ingestion. Depending on the dosage, the experience lasts from two to six hours. Users see brightly coloured kaleidoscopic geometric structures and experience dreamlike visions. It is regularly accompanied by intense nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Some users experience this as physically and mentally cleansing. The effects of ayahuasca are often more psychological than when DMT is smoked. It is therefore even more important to ensure a good set and setting.

Mental effects

• euphoric feeling
• feeling the need to talk
• strong visual perception changes and hallucinations (both with eyes open and closed)
• overwhelming experience
• possibly a life-changing spiritual experience
• auditory hallucinations (disturbed sounds)
• change in perception of time
• difficulties integrating the experiences once back into the normal life
• feelings of anxiety

Physical effects

The nausea, vomiting tendencies and diarrhoea that are common in ayahuasca are much less common with smoked DMT. With ayahuasca, the throat and lungs aren’t sore because it is not smoked.

• burning effect on throat and lungs
• slight to very uncomfortable feeling in the stomach
• mildly hypertension and heart rate
• elevated body temperature
• difficulty breathing
• tendency to vomit
• dilated pupils

Risks of DMT and Ayahuasca§

As of yet, little research has been done on DMT. However, its use is not without risk.

Ayahuasca is a combination of DMT with an MAO-inhibitor. MAO enzymes are responsible for the breakdown of certain substances in your body. A MAO-inhibitor therefore influences the effects of drugs and medication. Because of this, it’s possible that negative reactions occur after using ayahuasca. So make sure you have enough information on MAO inhibitors, the medication you may be taking and the food you consume before use. In any case, ayahuasca cannot be combined with antidepressants, antipsychotics and various other medications.

Short-term risks

Some people may panic during the use of DMT because of the incredible intensity of the effects. Therefore it is important to use DMT in a quiet and familiar environment. If someone is under the influence and panics, make sure to reassure that person. Preferably, lay or sit down when smoking the DMT to make sure you don’t fall or trip, and things don’t fall over. Because smoked DMT raises blood pressure very quickly, this is not healthy for people with high blood pressure.

Long-term risks

Due to the lack of research into DMT, there is little to say about the long-term effects. The use is not recommended for people with psychological issues. Even if first and second degree relatives of you have schizophrenia or have had psychotic episodes, the use of hallucinogenics is not recommended.

Addiction

Ayahuasca and DMT are not physically or psychologically addictive. There seems to be no tolerance or habituation to the psychedelic effects of DMT.

Combined use DMT, ayahuasca and other drugs§

Combining different drugs is extra risky and unpredictable. If you start combining, you are more likely to have problems with your health. Little is known about combined use of DMT and other substances, but the effect of DMT is so strong and intense that any combination with this drug is not recommended and probably not desired either. Other drugs make the effect less predictable. For more information check the topic Combination use.

Ayahuasca and medication

As mentioned, DMT or ayahuasca can have extremely negative effects and can even be harmful for people taking prescription medication, especially antipsychotics and antidepressants such as Prozac. If you take antidepressants and have no specific knowledge about the interaction between the medications, ayahuasca and MAOIs, avoid ayahuasca/DMT.

Detection of DMT§

How long a drug is detectable in your blood or urine depends on a number of factors. This depends for example on how often and how much you use and your personal metabolism (the rate at which a drug is broken down, especially by your liver). Drugs are easier to detect in your urine than in your blood.

In urine, DMT is probably traceable for up to 2 to 5 days.

Unity tips DMT§

All psychedelics are risky because of the chance of a bad trip and the possibility to amplify psychological problems. Especially people with a predisposition for developing psychoses or other psychological issues are strongly advised against using DMT.

Very little is known about the risks of DMT and really safe use of drugs does not exist. However, the risks can be limited, read the Unity tips:

• Prepare yourself well; use in a quiet, safe and familiar environment with people you trust (this is really not a party drug).
• Make sure there is someone around who is not under the influence of alcohol or any other drug.
• Use only if you feel well mentally and physically.
• Do not use if you have mental health problems or if you have close family with schizophrenia or psychotic episodes.
• Sit up straight while smoking and then continue taking deep breaths to reduce nausea and the tendency to vomit.
• Make sure someone takes the pipe from you after smoking.
• Make sure you have a proper scale that can weigh milligrams so you can weigh the correct dosage.
• Do not combine with medication, alcohol or other drugs.
• Do not participate in traffic.
• Are you or your friends not feeling well? Keep an eye on each other and take care of each other.
• Don’t fight against unpleasant feelings during the trip, but let yourself be carried away by the flow of the trip.
• Make sure you have enough time after the trip to process the experience.

Check out our Unity College: Psychedelics with Joost Breeksema of the OPEN Foundation:

Read more on DMT/Ayahuasca:

• Erowid – Ayahuasca
• Erowid – DMT
• Wikipedia – Ayahuasca
• Wikipedia – DMT
• Psychonautwiki – Ayahuasca
• Psychonautwiki – DMT
• Talk to Frank

Would you like more information, do you have a question or would you like to chat about this or another drug? Look for contact details in your area or send an email to [email protected].