Question 1

The term entheogen has been used for those drugs thought to create spiritual or religious experiences.

Accepted Answer

The term "entheogen" is indeed used to describe substances that are consumed to induce spiritual or religious experiences, often in a ritualistic context.

Question 2

Which indole was originally found in toad skins yet turned out not to be a very potent hallucinogen?

Accepted Answer

Bufotenin is the indole that was originally found in toad skins. It was investigated for its potential as a hallucinogen but turned out not to be very potent in its effects compared to other substances.

Question 3

What is animism?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is animism?...

Question 4

What is an indole?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is an indole?...

Question 5

What are hallucinogens and describe the more popular terms used to describe hallucinogens?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are hallucinogens and describe the more...

Question 6

Ayahuasca is a name for the cactus containing mescaline.

Accepted Answer

Ayahuasca is actually a brew made from the ayahuasca vine and other plant ingredients, often containing the psychoactive compound DMT (dimethyltryptamine). It is commonly used in traditional Amazonian shamanic practices for spiritual and medicinal purposes.

Question 7

Deadly nightshade is the common name for bufotenin.

Accepted Answer

Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) is a poisonous plant, but its alkaloid content includes atropine and scopolamine, not bufotenin. Bufotenin is found in certain species of toad and mushroom.

Question 8

Amanita muscaria is a red and white speckled mushroom that has been used widely in various religions throughout the world.

Accepted Answer

Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita, is a red and white speckled mushroom that has indeed been used in various religious and shamanic practices around the world, particularly for its psychoactive properties.

Question 9

The suggestion has been made that ambrosia (food of the gods) mentioned in the secret rites of the god Dionysius in Greece was a solution made of the Amanita mushroom.

Accepted Answer

The suggestion that ambrosia, in the context of the secret rites of Dionysus, might have been a solution made from the Amanita muscaria mushroom has been proposed by several scholars and researchers. This theory is part of broader discussions on the use of psychoactive substances in ancient religious practices.

Question 10

Synesthesia refers to the experiencing of hallucinogenic effects even months after taking the drug.

Accepted Answer

Synesthesia is a condition in which the stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to automatic and involuntary experiences in a second pathway. It is not related to hallucinogenic effects or drug use.

Question 11

LSD use peaked in 1967 and 1968 and tapered off thereafter.

Accepted Answer

LSD use indeed peaked during the late 1960s, particularly around 1967 and 1968, coinciding with the height of the counterculture movement. Afterward, its popularity declined due to increased legal restrictions and growing awareness of its potential dangers.

Question 12

Although PCP was tested on humans, it was eventually adopted primarily for use in animals as an anesthetic and also in so-called "tranquillizer" guns.

Accepted Answer

PCP, initially developed and tested for human use as an anesthetic, was found to have significant side effects including hallucinations and delirium. Due to these adverse effects, its use in humans was discontinued, and it was instead adopted for veterinary use, including in tranquilizer guns for immobilizing animals.

Question 13

LSD and psilocybin are examples of catechol hallucinogens.

Accepted Answer

LSD and psilocybin are examples of indole hallucinogens, not catechol hallucinogens. Catechol hallucinogens are a different class of compounds.

Question 14

LSD is the most potent and notorious of the hallucinogens found in nature.

Accepted Answer

LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) is indeed one of the most potent hallucinogens, but it is not found in nature; it is a synthetic compound first synthesized in 1938 by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann. Natural hallucinogens include substances like psilocybin (found in certain mushrooms) and mescaline (found in peyote cactus).

Question 15

Some evidence suggests that ecstasy may be neurotoxic, affecting serotonin neurons in the brain.

Accepted Answer

Ecstasy (MDMA) has been shown in various studies to potentially cause neurotoxic effects on serotonin neurons in the brain, leading to long-term alterations in brain function and mood regulation.

Question 16

It was believed that if a plant contains a spirit, then eating the plant transfers that spirit to the person who eats it, and the spirit of the plant can speak to the consumer, make that person feel the plant's joy, or provide special powers.

Accepted Answer

This belief is rooted in animism, a worldview common among indigenous cultures, which holds that plants, animals, and even inanimate objects possess a spiritual essence. Consuming plants with spirits is thought to allow for communication with those spirits, transferring their qualities or powers to the person.

Question 17

MDMA (Ecstasy) is a close chemical relative of methamphetamine.

Accepted Answer

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) shares a similar chemical structure with methamphetamine, differing primarily by the addition of a methylenedioxy group. This structural similarity contributes to their pharmacological and psychoactive properties, although their effects can differ significantly.

Question 18

Anticholinergic plants like Datura have potent psychological effects but are not very dangerous physiologically.

Accepted Answer

Anticholinergic plants like Datura not only have potent psychological effects but can also be very dangerous physiologically, leading to symptoms such as increased heart rate, dangerous elevations in body temperature, delirium, and in severe cases, death.

Question 19

The Army and the CIA experimented with LSD in the mid-twentieth century.

Accepted Answer

Both the Army and the CIA conducted experiments with LSD during the mid-twentieth century as part of research into mind control, interrogation techniques, and psychological warfare.

Question 20

Production of ecstasy has dropped dramatically in Canada in recent years.

Accepted Answer

Canada remains a significant producer of ecstasy (MDMA), with no substantial evidence indicating a dramatic drop in production in recent years. Instead, the country has been identified as a source country for the drug, supplying both domestic and international markets.

Quiz 14: Hallucinogens