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Psychedelics Today

Mike Jay - Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic

Psychedelics Today

Psychedelics Today, LLC

Life Sciences, Science, Medicine, Health & Fitness

4.6 • 598 Ratings

🗓️ 17 December 2019

⏱️ 73 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In today's episode, Joe interviews Mike Jay, Author of the book, Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic. In the show they discuss Mescaline's origins and the history of Peyote use.

3 Key Points:

  1. Mike Jay is a Cultural Historian and Author whose topics include science, medicine, drugs, madness, literature and radical politics.

  2. Mike's recent book, Mescaline, is a definitive history of mescaline that explores its mind-altering effects across cultures, from ancient America to western modernity.

  3. Over time, Peyote has been used by spiritual seekers, by psychologists investigating the secrets of consciousness, artists exploring the creative process, and by psychiatrists.

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Show Notes

About Mike

  • Mike Jay is a freelance writer, an author and cultural historian
  • Mike has been interested in Mescaline for a really long time

Indigenous Use

  • James Mooney is a crucial figure in the transition from indigenous use of peyote to the more current applications
  • The New Deal made religions respected, protected under the First Amendment for freedom of worship

History

  • There is a ton of literature before the 60's on psychedelic use
  • It was obvious that if people were interested in psychoactive drugs, they would take it themselves
  • Back then, science was much more proactive than it is today, but it is becoming more popular again

Peyote Experience

  • It's hard to find an ethical source of Peyote
  • Mike says its unpleasant but warm and tingly and euphoric
  • By 1970, Mescaline was this legendary substance, but it was hard to find on the streets unless you knew an underground chemist
  • On the Erowid site, they have a bulletin that the DEA created about all of the street drug seizures
    He wrote a book 20 years ago called Emperors of Dreams
  • 2CB is not as intense as Mescaline
  • Mescaline is a phenethylamine
  • It does not cross the blood brain barrier as easily. So you need to take more of it
    • It is a body and mind drug

Indigenous Use

  • The Comanches were in a reservation in the Wichita mountains
  • He was notified by the Comanches on some history
    • He went to meet with them, and they told him stories on the history
    • Peyote use originated inside of a Tipi
    • "The way that we see psychedelics in modern Western culture, is not the only way of thinking about it:" - Mike

Native American Church

  • There is an interesting thing that happened between Mexican/South American Shamanic practice and Native American Church
    • In the ceremony, the facilitator is made to not ask like a priest, everyone is their own priest
    • It is a healing modality for everybody
  • The very first peyote experiences in the west encouraged artists to make art
  • Salvador Dali was apparently anti-drug use
    • The surrealist movement had a number of rules
  • Huichol art is a very psychedelic inspired art

The plant

  • Peyote is so fast growing, in some places it is growing naturally
  • San Pedro is way more sustainable than Peyote
  • There is a lot of demand for Peyote currently
  • Joe says he thinks that Peyote is not scheduled in Canada

Accounts

  • The western story is full of first-person experiencesIts based on the personal
    • experiences and visions
  • In the indigenous accounts, there are very little stories on experience or personal matters, its more recording on the collective experience

Links

Website

Twitter

About Mike

Mike Jay is a leading specialist in the study of drugs across history and cultures. The author of Artificial Paradises, Emperors of Dreams, and The Atmosphere of Heaven, his critical writing on drugs has appeared in many publications, including The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The International Journal of Drug Policy. He sits on the editorial board of the addiction journal Drugs and Alcohol Today and on the board of the Transform Drug Policy Foundation. He lives in England.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello, everybody. Welcome back to psychedelics today. This is Joe Moore coming at you from

0:11.0

Brecker-Mitch, Colorado. Today on the show, I interview Mike Jay, author of a number of books.

0:18.4

Most recently, a book on mescaline. I believe the full title is

0:22.7

Mesklin, a history of the first psychedelic. He's an Englishman, super clever. I loved this book.

0:31.4

This is no joke. I've been talking about it somewhat obsessively for a while, and it probably was my favorite 2019 book.

0:40.2

Just really stoked on it and can't recommend it enough.

0:43.9

I think I even tell first-timers who haven't even tried psychedelics to just read it because

0:48.8

it's a great history and covers a lot of ground that I think is important to understand

0:53.1

in terms of American history and world history given psychedelics is a global phenomenon. So, yeah, I think you're going to really dig this episode, and you're really, really going to dig the book if you like the episode. So check it out. Books available all over the place. You can get it on Audible. And you can get it for free on Audible if you sign up for a free trial. And I think the URL is Audibletrial.com slash psychedelics today. You get a free month membership and a free audio book that you get to keep. It's a trial. Check it out. It helps out the show if you do it that way. Books available all over the place. And, you know,

1:28.7

let us know if you like it. It's really fun. And I, yeah, I'm semi-obsessed. I'm probably

1:35.1

going to read it a couple more times. So let's know what you think. Secadilex Today email at

1:39.4

gmail.com. If you want to help us out, here's a few things that will work.

1:47.2

So we are launching two additions of navigating psychedelics for clinicians and therapists

1:52.5

starting in February.

1:54.1

We've got a European-friendly time and an American East Coast friendly time.

1:58.8

So seven Eastern and I think it's like seven UK time.

2:02.3

You can learn more about that at psychedelic education center.com.

2:06.1

And the cool thing about this course is that it comes with tons of pre-recorded content

2:12.4

and we've got eight different hour and a half classes together on Zoom and you get to discuss the content

2:20.3

with us. And these are recorded and put into a private class. So if you miss class, you can just

2:26.2

check in. You can watch class later. It's okay if you miss class. Also, it is supported by a Slack

2:33.8

group where everybody can chat in real time when there's no class meetings, ask questions of Kyle and I, whenever you want, and we'll get back to you.

...

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