Hallucinogens are a group of drugs that cause hallucinations;
profound distortions in a person's perception of reality; including seeing, hearing,
smelling, tasting, touching and feeling things that do not exist. Hallucinogens are
sometimes called 'psychedelic drugs', 'trips', 'magic mushrooms', 'LSD', and
'acid'.
Some hallucinogens occur naturally in trees, vines, seeds, fungi
(e.g. psilocybin or 'magic mushrooms') and leaves. Others are made in laboratories by
mixing different chemical substances ('trips', 'LSD', 'acid'). Some drugs, such as
cannabis and ecstasy, can cause hallucinogen-like effects when used in high doses or in
certain ways. Use of these hallucinogens is often called 'tripping'.
Hallucinogens can produce physiological effects including elevated
heart rate, increased blood pressure, and dilated pupils. These drugs are often
unpredictable and a user may experience different effects compared to other users or past
usage. Users often experience changes in perception, thought, and mood.
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