Cultures of chemically induced hallucinations

Drug-induced hallucinations are often discussed as if they can be entirely understood in terms of their chemical action in the brain. But the social role of hallucinogens varies greatly between cultures, and, conversely, culture has a large effect on hallucinogenic experiences and their significance. As a result, hallucination-producing psychoactive substances can only be fully understood by understanding their interaction with social context which has differed throughout history and across the world.