The Use of Peyote as Treatment for Alcoholism within the NAC Community: Reflections on a Study
Anthropology of Consciousness August 24, 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-3537.2011.01051.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Interview Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mescaline |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key points | The interview presents Dr. Halpern's account of how the NAC peyote ceremony may offer promise for treating alcoholism among members, and emphasizes the need for ethical and culturally informed research approaches. |
Abstract
What are the ethical obligations of a researcher who wishes to study another culture's ceremonial practices, in particular those of the Native American Church (NAC)? What promise do peyote and the NAC peyote ceremony show for the treatment of alcoholism amongst NAC members? How does one approach the philosophical issues regarding “consciousness” within the context of such a study? In this interview, Dr. John Halpern, M.D., discusses how the fields of medicine and anthropology converged and informed one another over the course of his study into the effects of the NAC peyote ceremony on alcohol addiction. He tells the story of how he, as an outsider to the Church, was eventually accepted as a member of the NAC community. He also reflects upon how one's philosophical stance on what consciousness “is” informs such a study.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on mescaline, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peyote as Earth Medicine: Examining How Symbolic Meanings Shape Experiences With Psychedelics People who use peyote in religious ceremonies | 2023 | Photo-ethnography | |
| Psychedelic trip sitting, dosages and intensities: Supplementing clinical studies with anecdotal reports Posts from online psychedelic forums (The Shroomery and DMT Nexus) on trip sitting | 2024 | Qualitative study with Delphi-style expert panel review | n = 660 |
| Hitting the Reset Button: Ceremonial Use of Peyote and Experiences of Personal Change People who attended peyote ceremonies in rural Northcentral Alabama | 2024 | Photo-ethnography | |
| The San Pedro Cactus (Equinopsis pachanoi): Ancestral and Modern Therapeutic Uses in Peru Curanderos in the Túcume district of northern Peru | 2025 | Qualitative study | |
| The Trouble With Psychedelic Cacti: Conflicting Meanings of San Pedro and Peyote | 2025 | Autoethnography |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Plant based assisted therapy for the treatment of substance use disorders - part 1. The case of takiwasi center and other similar experiences Cultura y Droga July 3, 2018
- The psychedelic ritual as a technique of the self HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory March 1, 2022
- Narrating the Unspeakable Journal of Extreme Anthropology January 6, 2020
- Anthropology of Psychedelics Anthropology of Consciousness April 20, 2025
- Le rite hallucinogène comme technique du Soi : une approche anthropologique de l’efficacité des psychédéliques dans le traitement des addictions Psychotropes September 14, 2020
and 1 more in the library