Peyote as Earth Medicine: Examining How Symbolic Meanings Shape Experiences With Psychedelics.

This article examines how the symbolic meanings and personal narratives surrounding peyote shape the ways people use and experience it, using narrative criminology as a framework. Based on a photo-ethnography of a rural Alabama church community that holds peyote ceremonies, participants define peyote as a sacred "earth medicine" with healing properties—physical, spiritual, and psychological—which commands respect and intentional, non-recreational use. This discourse distinguishes peyote from other drugs, which are viewed as harmful or addictive, and influences how users interpret physiological effects such as bitterness and purging as part of a healing process. The study highlights that drug-related narratives are integral to identity formation, guide patterns of use, and shape subjective experiences, suggesting that understanding these narratives can provide deeper insights into drug use behaviors beyond pharmacological effects.