DMT

Overview

Popular names ‘Dimi’; ‘Dimitri’; ‘Businessman’s Special’
What is it?

Dimethyltryptamine is a powerful psychoactive chemical in the tryptamine group. It produces strong psychedelic effects (e.g. visual hallucinations). A form of it extracted from certain plants has been used for centuries in traditional South American shamanistic rituals. (Ayahuasca,Yage,etc.) Very short duration of action, up to 5 minutes.

Sought after effects
  • Visual perception (seeing bright colours, geometric shapes, ‘soft edge’ to objects)
  • Intense dreams
  • Change in self-perception and identity (disconnection from senses when sought).
Undesired effects
  • Hallucinations can become frightening (overly intense)
  • Sense of disconnection from self
  • Effect/Comedown can be rapid and abrupt
What does it look like?

Usually found as a yellow, sometimes waxy, crystal-like substance, occasionally as a powder.

How is it taken?

Smoked: it can be inhaled through a pipe, and smoked in a joint. This is the preferred method and usually easier to do in the ‘freebase’ form.

Injected: it can be injected only if it is in the acidic salt (fumarate) form, the other form (‘freebase’) cannot be as it does not mix with water.

Snorted: the crystals can be crushed and snorted, similar to other white powders.

Ingested: in some cultures, the ‘ayahuasca’ beverage contains some DMT. However, when ingesting DMT, an appropriate enzyme inhibitor must be taken (i.e. MAOIs), otherwise the DMT will be inactive.

NB. The fumarate form is water soluble (mixes with water), more stable and less likely to degrade, but is slightly less potent than the ‘freebase’ form. Both forms can look similar in appearance, although the ‘freebase’ form may have a stronger crystal-like appearance.