HALLUCINOGENS

THE TRUTH ABOUT HALLUCINOGENS

GET THE FACTS

SLANG:LSD:acid, yellow sunshine, tab, blotter, yellow 

submarine, tripping; MUSHROOMS/PSILOCYBIN: little 

smoke, magic mushrooms; PEYOTE: cactus, buttons; 

PCP: angel dust, peace pill, dippers, greens

1

HALLUCINOGENS HAVE A RANGE OF NEGATIVE EFFECTS.

Hallucinogens are a group of drugs that include those 

listed above, as well as ayahuasca, ketamine, and salvia. They 

may alter a person’s awareness of his or her surroundings, 

thoughts, and feelings, or they might cause someone to see or 

feel things that aren’t real.2

HALLUCINOGENS CAN AFFECT YOUR BRAIN LONG-TERM.

Hallucinogens can affect the brain chemical serotonin—

which regulates things such as sleep, muscle control, and mood—

and the chemical glutamate—which regulates pain perception, 

learning, and memory, among other areas.3 Because of its 

impact on the brain, hallucinogens can cause lasting 

consequences for a user, such as psychosis or mental disorders.4

HALLUCINOGENS CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE. A person can feel the 

effects of using hallucinogens as soon as 20 minutes after using 

them, but the effects can last as long as 12 hours.5

HALLUCINOGENS CAN BE ADDICTIVE. People can develop an 

addiction to or tolerance of hallucinogens. If a person uses LSD 

on a regular basis, for example, they would need to take higher 

doses over time to feel its effects, which can lead to dangerous 

outcomes, such as risky behavior potentially resulting in injury 

and death due to an altered perception of reality.6

? Q&A

Q. IF DEXTROMETHORPHAN (DXM) IS USED IN THE 

COUGH MEDICINES I CAN BUY AT A PHARMACY, 

DOESN’T THAT MEAN IT’S SAFE TO USE ON ITS OWN 

TOO?

NO. When a substance such as DXM is used in an 

over-the-counter medicine, the medicine is only safe 

when taken according to the directions. DXM toxic 

effects include hallucinations, distorted perceptions, 

impaired muscle movement, impaired memory, and 

possibly seizures with some cough medications.7 

Also, your heart and lung functions can slow or even 

stop, potentially causing an overdose death. Misusing 

these medications with alcohol is even more 

dangerous as they work more strongly together.8

A. 

IF SALVIA ISN’T ILLEGAL, DOESN’T THAT MEAN I’M 

ALLOWED TO USE IT?

NO. Even though there aren’t federal laws prohibiting 

the use of salvia, it is illegal in 29 states and several 

countries. Research shows that the effects of salvia 

can include hallucinations, vision changes, and being 

unable to tell what’s real and what isn’t.

9

A. 

Q. PEYOTE COMES FROM A CACTUS. IF IT’S FROM A 

PLANT, IT MUST BE SAFE, RIGHT?

A. NO. Peyote has side effects including hallucinations, 

altered body image, severe vomiting, headaches, 

muscle weakness, and impaired motor coordination.10

1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727) 

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Hallucinogens are dangerous and can be deadly. Talk to 

your parents, a doctor, a counselor, a teacher, or another 

adult you trust if you have questions.

Q. 

LEARN MORE:

Get the latest information on how drugs affect the brain and 

body at teens.drugabuse.gov.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HALLUCINOGENS, CONTACT:

SAMHSA

(English and Español)

TTY 1-800-487-4889

www.samhsa.gov I store.samhsa.gov
1 KNOW THE LAW. Hallucinogens are illegal for use 

by people of any age, and law enforcement officials 

are trained to recognize when someone may have 

used hallucinogens.11

2 KNOW THE RISKS. While there are different risks 

depending on the hallucinogen used, they all have 

dangerous potential outcomes. If a person takes a 

high dose of PCP, they could have a seizure, go into 

a coma, or even die.

3 LOOK AROUND YOU. Even if you think your peers 

are using hallucinogens, the truth is that a very 

small number of teens use hallucinogens. The latest 

research shows that 1.5 percent of young people 

between ages 12 and 17 had used hallucinogens in 

the past year in 2018.12

MORE INFORMATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR FOR 

RESOURCES USED IN THIS 

“TIPS for TEENS,”

visit store.samhsa.gov or call 

1–877–SAMHSA–7 (1–877–726–4727)

(English and Español).

PEP NO. 20-03-03-001 REVISED 2020

KNOW THE SIGNS

How can you tell if a friend is using hallucinogens? Potential 

side effects and symptoms include:13

• Hallucinations

• Nausea/vomiting

• Loss of appetite

• Mixed senses

(e.g., “seeing” sounds

or “hearing” colors)

• Excessive sweating

• Paranoia

• Weight loss

• Memory loss

• Anxiety

• Depression and

suicidal thoughts

• Persistent psychosis/

hallucinations

• Speech problems

• Social withdrawal

and disorganization

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP SOMEONE 

WHO IS USING HALLUCINOGENS?

BE A FRIEND. SAVE A LIFE.

Encourage your friend to stop using or seek help 

from a parent, teacher, or other caring adult. 

For 24/7 free and confidential information and 

treatment referrals in English and Spanish, 

call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at:

1–800–662–HELP (1–800–662–4357)

or visit the SAMHSA Treatment Services Locator at: 

findtreatment.gov

1, 2, 3 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2016). Hallucinogens. Drug Facts. Retrieved 

from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens 4 Office of National Drug Control Policy. (n.d.). Drug facts: Hallucinogens. Above the 

Influence. Retrieved from https://abovetheinfluence.com/drugs/hallucinogens/#facts 5, 6 NIDA. (2016). Hallucinogens. Drug Facts. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/

publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens

7 National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Center for 

Biotechnology Information. Compound Summary: Dexamethasone. PubChem Database.

Retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5743 8 NIDA. (2017). Cough and cold medicine (DXM and codeine syrup). NIDA for Teens.

Retrieved from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/cough-and-cold-medicinedxm-and-codeine-syrup

9 NIDA. (2017). Salvia. NIDA for Teens. Retrieved from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/

drug-facts/salvia

10, 11 U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration. (2017). Drugs of abuse: 

A DEA resource guide. Retrieved from https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/sites/

getsmartaboutdrugs.com/files/publications/DoA_2017Ed_Updated_6.16.17.pdf#page=70

12 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Key substance 

use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National 

Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP19-5068, NSDUH Series H-54). 

Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2018-nsduh-annual-nationalreport

13 NIDA. (2016). Hallucinogens. Drug Facts. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/

publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens