What are potential health effects of using hallucinogens?
How a hallucinogen affects a person is often unpredictable. It depends on many factors, including the type and amount of drug used, the user’s attitude, expectations and past experiences with the drug, and the environment it is used in. Some of the basic physical effects include: • numbness • muscle weakness • impaired motor skills and coordination • dilated pupils • increased or lowered heart rate, blood pressure and temperature • nausea The physical effects of hallucinogens are often minor compared to the psychological effects. However with some hallucinogens, the physical effects may be more severe, including: • extreme loss of coordination, • inability to move, • immunity to pain, or • loss of consciousness. Psychologically and emotionally, hallucinogens can produce very positive (joyful) or very negative (scary and stressful) experiences. Sometimes the good and bad can be experienced within the same ‘trip’. Acute negative experiences or ‘bad trips’ are more likely to occur among n
