Loralee Davis and Nathan Compton
Timmy Schwab
Physical Science
07 November 2018
DMT: The Effects on the Human Body
Dimethyltryptamine, or more commonly known as DMT is a hallucinogenic drug that is found in many plants like Mimosa tenuiflora. DMT is also produced in the human body, it’s found in the cerebral spinal fluid, lungs, and eyes. It hasn’t been proven but it is thought to be found in the pineal gland or “the third eye”. DMT is a tryptamine molecule that occurs in most plants and animals that can be used as a psychedelic drug (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N,N-Dimethyltryptamine). While DMT is found commonly in its base form it is more stable in salt form. It is commonly handled and stored as a fumarate or fumaric acid, but other DMT acid salts are extremely Hygroscopic, which means they contain water molecules that usually remain at room temperature or the temperature of the room it is in when it's in its free base form. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygroscopy) This means that the hygroscopic DMT won't really crystallize even though it's less stable than other liquid forms of DMT. In the liquid form, it is mainly used for vaporizing or vaping. DMT is found mainly in plants, it is most commonly found in Prestonia Amazonica, which is a plant native to the Amazon. Small traces of it are also found in mammalian brain, blood, and urine. (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/dimethyltryptamine#section=Top)
DMT is produced in the human body during normal metabolism by the enzyme tryptamine-N-methyltransferase. DMT can be found in plants and animals in the liquid form as part of a healthy and normal diet. While humans can make and ingest DMT it can be deadly in high doses. We don't know the exact toxic power of the drug. In some religions this drug is used to induce a hallucinogenic state for religious ceremonies or to induce visions, but not at a high enough level to overdose a person. (https://thethirdwave.co/psychedelics/dmt/)
This drug is among several hallucinogens found naturally in plants which include opium and peyote. Peyote contains a chemical called mescaline that has effects that are similar to LSD and is believed to be used by early tribes to induce religious hallucinations. Early Amazonian tribes have been snorting DMT for at least two thousand years, possibly longer. Ayahuasca is a brew containing DMT, used as spiritual medicine. It is used as a sacrament, not just to get high. (https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-473/peyote)
If DMT is produced in the body naturally, what makes it illegal? And given the hallucinogenic properties, why isn't this drug more popular compared to other drugs like Marijuana and MDMA? Some people believe that the government has made DMT illegal for the wrong reasons. They believe this drug is a tool the government is trying to keep from us. Dimethyltryptamine has the most powerful hallucinations known to man attached to it. So why would the government try and keep this from us? That question does not have a simple answer. It could be because DMT has the potential to be harmful. But it could the fact that the government is hiding something from us. Some intense theories believe that the government is hiding this tool from us, by wiping people's minds or even killing them.
The other reason for using the drug (apart from just getting high) is to contact a “god” or gain full control, or power over the users brain. On the note about a god, this drug is used in many different ancient African tribes. They say it is used to contact their gods or demonic ruler. Others use it to gain control and let their god talk through them. People feel these experiences prove the drug is too strong for normal civilians and that is why the government keeps it out of the hands of the public. Some people would find themselves in a state of panic out of fear from the "elves" which are supposedly commonly seen when taking DMT. We may never know truly what or how this drug is linked to the government, some type of god, or even aliens. But people seemed to be over their head about it but it's just another drug just like all the other drugs. And drugs are bad.
DMT is a strong and mysterious psychedelic that takes the mind to unimaginable dimensions. It has the most powerful psychedelic compounds known to man, and is not a light drug. The trips are short, only lasting around 10-20 minutes. Although they are short, the trips are very strong and multidimensional. It is said after taking this drug, the way the user looks at life will change forever. It is recommended that a user prepares before taking DMT. The user should go into this experience thinking about what they want to take away from it. Some people use DMT just to get extremely high, others use it because they want to learn more about themselves or the universe. A sober person should also be aware of the user’s plans, and make sure they are safe. The drug can potentially make someone very dangerous to themselves or others.
Most people do not experience completely new dimensions their first time smoking DMT. It may take many tries, and some people are not able to get there at all. Mild “journeys” are similar to those of highly dosed LSD trips, with saturated and vivid colors, space distortion, and geometric patterns. But more harsh trips are unforgettable, and called “breaking through”. It is said that it feels as though the soul leaves the body, and enters “realities made of color and light”. While many people have not experienced this rare drug, the few that have spoken about it. They say that they communicate with God or even extraterrestrials. When on DMT users have reported even smelling things within the trip, it enhances all senses. Sound is another sense often seen within these trips, people have reported hearing music or a slight humming noise. Users almost always interact with some type of creature or entity, but every person describes them differently. Some creatures are described as “furry” or “animal-like”. Others describe more human like creatures or even “mother-like” entities. Lots of people reported advanced beings like aliens, almost like more evolved humans. A common encounterance is elves or dwarves, another type of individual is described as “angelic”.
Some experiences are scary and the user will feel lonely, almost like they are trapped in a void. Some people have DMT be like a near death experience, they feel like they are in danger or they’re scared they are going to die. Users have often times met relatives who have passed away, the user will see them as an angel. Some people believe the naturally produced DMT within the human body is the explanation to the physiological phenomena of the near death experience.
In conclusion DMT is a naturally occurring drug found in many plants and animals, even humans. It’s a psychedelic drug that can take you on an immense trip. A trip where you will see vivid colors, geometric patterns, you will even hear sounds. Some people believe when taking DMT you will come in contact with aliens or extraterrestrial beings. And because of that people believe that the government is trying to keep this “technology” from us. Although not all trips are fun, some experience a bad trip, where they are scared and see their dead relatives. There are experts who also think that DMT is the answer to the strange phenomena of “near death experiences”, which has not yet been explained.
Works Cited
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