Peyote is a small, spineless cactus plant found in the Southwest best known for its hallucinogenic effects. It’s also a Schedule I substance, meaning it's illegal to possess in the U.S. But there’s one facility in Arizona growing and studying this unique plant.
Dr. Sue Sisley is the founder of the Scottsdale Research Institute, which looks at the science behind medicinal plants, including peyote. There are about 2,000 peyote plants growing behind locked cages at her Phoenix-based facility.
"They're an incredible medicine that Indigenous community has learned how to harness the medical benefits of this for their ceremony," Sisley said.
Sisley says they are working primarily with the Navajo to grow these plants which are classified as being at risk of extinction in Mexico, though there are no protections here in the U.S.
"So we're just trying to help the tribe understand ways, you know, agricultural techniques they can use to help increase the supply that's available," Sisley said.
It’ll take years before these plants can be harvested.
