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[starlagurl]

Since the popularity of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and other drug culture media, people have been enticed into traveling to Mexico to try peyote and hallucinate in the desert. So much so, that the cactus is becoming endangered and native leaders are growing worried.

I can't decide whether this is a bad or good thing. I'm sure the US government and various police departments are pretty happy about it... Then again, when supply dwindles, the price rises, which always brings more dangerous characters (gangs etc.) to the business...

What do you think?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...toryId=14064806

Though peyote — a hallucinogenic cactus — has been used for hundreds of years by Mexican Indians, it only became popular outside of indigenous communities after Carlos Castaneda, then a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, wrote The Teachings of Don Juan in the 1970s. All of a sudden, Americans, Europeans and other foreigners began making pilgrimages to Mexico to hunt for peyote and consume it recreationally.

Now, the Mexican government and the Indian community that uses peyote in sacred ceremonies are warning that peyote is under threat.

Peyote is the attraction for many of the foreigners who flock to Real de Catorce, a former silver-mining town high in the mountains in the state of San Luis Potosi in northern Mexico. In the central square, rings, necklaces, broaches and bracelets for sale at a jewelry market seem to feature one central design: the peyote cactus.

[2bits]

Since the popularity of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and other drug culture media, people have been enticed into traveling to Mexico to try peyote and hallucinate in the desert. So much so, that the cactus is becoming endangered and native leaders are growing worried.

I can't decide whether this is a bad or good thing. I'm sure the US government and various police departments are pretty happy about it... Then again, when supply dwindles, the price rises, which always brings more dangerous characters (gangs etc.) to the business...

What do you think?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...toryId=14064806

Though peyote — a hallucinogenic cactus — has been used for hundreds of years by Mexican Indians, it only became popular outside of indigenous communities after Carlos Castaneda, then a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, wrote The Teachings of Don Juan in the 1970s. All of a sudden, Americans, Europeans and other foreigners began making pilgrimages to Mexico to hunt for peyote and consume it recreationally.

Now, the Mexican government and the Indian community that uses peyote in sacred ceremonies are warning that peyote is under threat.

Peyote is the attraction for many of the foreigners who flock to Real de Catorce, a former silver-mining town high in the mountains in the state of San Luis Potosi in northern Mexico. In the central square, rings, necklaces, broaches and bracelets for sale at a jewelry market seem to feature one central design: the peyote cactus.

so what does this mean? i happen to have one final pursuit in the country of mexico before i head back to the states and then canada.

peyote.

it is a personal quest thing and that's all.

is my goal unattainable? should i not waste my time?

i am heading up that way very shortly, in the next couple of weeks.

at least now i have a name of a city to go to. real de catorce, here we come

[starlagurl]

I think if you want to try peyote, you probably should...but I'm pretty sure it's illegal, so obviously I wouldn't recommend it, especially if you don't know anybody in Mexico that you really trust.

I'm interested in knowing what happens, obviously, I just wouldn't be able to get up the courage to try it myself, no way.

So when you get back from Mexico, keep me in the loop!

[mynetdude]

Peyote is illegal in Mexico? Sure seems like its legal if the Mexican indians use it??? Didn't know it existed, and wouldn't care for it since its a drug.

[starlagurl]

I think it's one of those "look the other way" things.