Is Peyote legal in United Kingdom?
- Legal status
- Mescaline is named as a Class A drug in Schedule 2, Part I of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; the peyote (Lophophora) cactus is not itself listed, so the living plant is a lawful ornamental, but any preparation or product containing mescaline is a Class A controlled drug.
- Consequences if caught
- Possession or supply of peyote prepared or processed so as to be a mescaline-containing product is a Class A offence; the intact living cactus is not caught by the mescaline entry.
- If prescribed or medical
- Mescaline is Class A with no routine therapeutic use; peyote preparations are not prescribable outside a Home Office licence.
- Documentation
- MDA 1971 Schedule 2 Part I lists "Mescaline" by name; the schedule contains no botanical entry for peyote, Lophophora or mescaline-containing plants.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with United Kingdom’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
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