Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
- What is DMT?
- Street Names
- How is it taken?
- What are the effects?
- What are the dangers?
- Is it addictive?
What is DMT?
- DMT is found in a variety of plants and seeds; it can also be produced synthetically.
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Street Names
"businessman's trip", "fantasia"
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How is it taken?
- Sniffed
- Smoked
- Injected
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What are the effects?
- The effects of DMT are known as a "trip" and last only 45 minutes to one hour.
- DMT has no effect when taken orally; unless it is combined with certain drugs.
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What are the dangers?
- It causes impaired judgment that often leads to rash decisions and accidents.
- It can cause extremely frightening trips or flashbacks.
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Is it addictive?
It is not considered an addictive drug like cocaine, heroin or alcohol because it does not produce the same compulsive drug-seeking behavior. However, like addictive drugs, it produces greater tolerance in some users who take the drug repeatedly. These users must take higher doses to achieve the same results as they have had in the past. This could be an extremely dangerous practice because of the unpredictability of the drug effect on an individual.
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Below are links PAMF accessed when researching this topic. PAMF, however, does not sponsor or endorse any of these sites, nor does PAMF guarantee the accuracy of the information contained on them.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA for Teens: The Science Behind Drug Abuse. Created with the help and advice of teens, presents information on the science behind drug abuse and has animated illustrations, quizzes, and games. Accessed June 2004.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Psilocybin & Psilocin and other Tryptamines. Accessed June 2004.
Office of National Drug Control Policy. Street Terms: Dimethyltryptamine. Accessed June 2004.
More information on teen substance abuse
Last Reviewed: October 2004