Members of the Native American Church who use peyote in religious ceremonies suffer no harmful effects, according to a new study from McLean Hospital.

The study looked at 61 Navajos who used peyote at least 100 times. A battery of tests found that the Navajos showed no brain damage or psychological problems.

The research further found that the Navajos who used peyote had better mental health indicators that those who didn't. These benefits were "more likely due to the social and psychological benefits of being members of the Native American Church community," than to the use of peyote itself, Dr. John Halpern, the lead author, said.

The study is published in the November 2 edition of Biological Psychiatry [Link].

Get the Story:
Peyote Not Harmful to American Indians (AP 11/4)
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Press Release: Study Finds No Psychological or Cognitive Deficits among Native Americans Who Use Peyote Regularly in Religious Settings (McLean Hospital 11/4)

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