Addiction Drug Use Hallucinogens How Long Mescaline Stays in Your System By Buddy T Buddy T Facebook Twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 16, 2020 Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Andrea Rice Fact checked by Andrea Rice Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Andrea Rice is an award-winning journalist and a freelance writer, editor, and fact-checker specializing in health and wellness. Learn about our editorial process Print DEA/C. DANI / Getty Images Several factors are involved in determining how long mescaline is detectable in the body, including which kind of drug test is being used. Mescaline—also known as buttons, cactus, mesc, moon, peyote—can be detected for a shorter time with some tests, but can be "visible" for up to three months in other tests. The timetable for detecting mescaline in the system is also dependent upon each individual's metabolism, body mass, age, hydration level, physical activity, health conditions and other factors, making it almost impossible to determine an exact window for when mescaline will show up on a drug test. The following are estimated time-frames during which mescaline can be detected by various testing methods: Urine: Mescaline can be detected in the urine for 2-3 days Blood: Mescaline can be detected in the blood for up to 24 hours. Saliva: A saliva test can detect Mescaline for up to 1-10 days Hair: Mescaline, like many other drugs, can be detected with a hair follicle drug test for up to 90 days. Preventing Side-Effects Mescaline comes from the small peyote cactus plant, but can also be manufactured through chemical synthesis. The peyote buttons are usually dried and then chewed or made into a liquid or tea for consumption. Usually, only a very small amount of mescaline—0.3 to 0.5 grams (equivalent to 5 grams of dried peyote)—is needed to produce hallucinations. The effects last about 12 hours, but it can remain in the system for much longer than that. The physical effects of mescaline can be similar to those of other hallucinogens, including: Increased body temperatureIncreased heart rateUncoordinated movementsProfound sweatingFlushing Long-Term Effects In rare instances, repeated or long-term use of hallucinogens like mescaline can cause the development of persistent psychosis, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Symptoms of persistent psychosis can include: ParanoiaMood disturbancesVisual disturbancesDisorganized thinking Flashbacks or HPPD Some users of hallucinogens, including mescaline, can also experience flashbacks, a phenomenon is known as hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD). Even when they are not using mescaline at the time, some people report seeing "trails" following moving objects or "halos" around people or objects. These symptoms can become so persistent that they are sometimes mistaken for symptoms of stroke or brain tumors. Symptoms of persistent psychosis and HPPD have been reported by users even after only one exposure to hallucinogens like mescaline. However, persistent psychosis symptoms are very rare in mescaline users and seem to occur mostly in those with a history of psychiatric problems, according to the NIDA. 6 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Addiction Resource. How Long Does Peyote Stay in The System? Drugs.com. Mescaline (Peyote). American Addiction Centers. Effects of Peyote Abuse. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Hallucinogens DrugFacts. Hermle L, Simon M, Ruchsow M, Geppert M. Hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2012;2(5):199-205. doi:10.1177/2045125312451270 Kurtom M, Henning A, Espiridion ED. Hallucinogen-persisting Perception Disorder in a 21-year-old Man. Cureus. 2019;11(2):e4077. doi:10.7759/cureus.4077 Additional Reading American Association for Clinical Chemistry. Lab Tests Online. Drug Abuse Testing. Get Treatment for Addiction Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation. Editorial Process Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit