For its part, the Ministry of Defense (Sedena) obtained 28.3 kilos of peyote from 2000 to July 2022, according to figures in this report. By not having thorns, the main defense of peyote against predators is an unpleasant taste that prevents desert animals from eating it. Behind this particular taste are more than fifty substances known as alkaloids. Many of these substances have psychoactive properties that alter the perception of reality when consumed in sufficient quantities. The best known of these substances – and responsible for the effects associated with peyote consumption – is mescaline. The Department of Defense does not keep statistics on peyote seizures. But seizures of up to 198 kilograms were made. Representatives of the Wirarika people expressed that a kilo of peyote on the black market has a price of 5,000 pesos ($277), while that of marijuana is about 1,400 pesos ($77), according to a 2016 transparency request responded to by federal prosecutors. Javier Martinez, originally from Chiapas, is responsible not only for welcoming Native American families on Texas property and caring for peyote, but also for connecting Wixárikas and Native Americans through the IPCI project in search of peyote conservation and cultural exchange. „We ask SEMARNAT, according to the periodic review of NOM-059, to change the status of peyote from Special Protection to Endangered, which provides evidence of the drastic decline of its population that has put it at risk,” Nájera said. To date, however, there is no penalty for trading or growing peyote.

The first writings to speak extensively of peyote were those of Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, who attributed frightening visions, laughter, fighting courage, courage, protection from danger; Apart from the fact that it is a resource used in times of thirst or hunger. Wixárika or Huicholes in Mexico and members of the Native American Church (NAC) in the United States are the only ones legally allowed to wear and consume peyote for ceremonial purposes in their countries because both consider it a sacrament. The new Spanish society showed some academic interest in traditional medicine and herbalism related to American peoples, but peyote was always viewed with evil eyes. This is because the relationship of Indigenous groups to the plant was opposed to the use of other medicinal herbs. The visions and ideas of peyote and its meaning in the indigenous worldview were frowned upon by the Catholic Church, which quickly condemned its use, classifying the plant as dangerous, sinful and illegal. In Mexico, the Holy Inquisition vetoed its use in the seventeenth century and the new Spanish government tried to eradicate the plant and its consumption. According to Nájera, „in many cases, inmates can say they had peyote to pick up, which has gone from a felony to a misdemeanor, so no one is detained and it`s a grey area.” Today, the Native American Church, founded in the late nineteenth century, is responsible for the largest consumption of peyote in the world. This church — popularly known as the Peyote religion — spans the United States and Canada, mixing Christian ideology with elements of Native American religions.

The statement on the decriminalization of nature suggests that peyotes and other natural hallucinogens should be accessible to everyone, not just Native Americans, as they are capable of producing inspiring and enlightening experiences. At the end of the pilgrimage, the peyote is dried and then ground into powder. The powder can be consumed with spoons or combined with chocolate or fruit. Texas is home to the main peyote hypermarket, as it is the only state where members of the NAC community can legally purchase peyote. However, both warn that illegal trade and growing population decline keep it threatened in the wild. Under federal law, only members of the Native American Church are allowed to consume peyote. However, this could change. Dozens of cities across the country are considering legislation to decriminalize a variety of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms known as the „Big 5”: magic mushrooms, iboga, ayahuasca, huachuma and peyote. „To these strangers, we say, `Leave the peyote alone. Please,” Benally said. „Is that too much to ask?” The importance of peyote in today`s world is undeniable.

Not only is it a fundamental part of the worldview and spiritual life of various Indigenous peoples, but it has also been the centre of counter-cultural movements and lively discussions between governments and different peoples struggling for self-determination.