What is peyote? What stand has the government taken regarding its use?
What will be an ideal response?
In recent years, significant publicity has been given to a Native American expression of religion: the ritual use of peyote, which dates back thousands of years. The sacramental use of peyote was first noted by Europeans in the 1640s. In 1918, the religious use of peyote, a plant that creates mild psychedelic effects, was organized as the Native American Church (NAC). At first a Southwest-based religion, since World War II, the NAC has spread among northern tribes. The use of the substance is a small part of a long and moving ritual. The exact nature of NAC rituals varies widely. Clearly, the church maintains the tradition of ritual curing and seeking individual visions. However, practitioners also embrace elements of Christianity, representing a type of religious pluralism of Indian and European identities.
Peyote is a hallucinogen, however, and federal and state governments have been concerned about its use by NAC members. Several states passed laws in the 1920s and 1930s prohibiting the use of peyote. In the 1980s, several court cases involved the prosecution of Native Americans who were using peyote for religious purposes. Finally, in 1994, Congress amended the American Indian Religious Freedom Act to allow Native Americans the right to use, transport, and possess peyote for religious purposes.
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