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In recent years, hallucinogenic drug use has expanded past traditional methods. While people used to attend ayahuasca ceremonies to have a psychedelic experience, now these drugs are available in more mainstream avenues. For example, dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is now being sold in vape pens.

DMT is often referred to as the “spirit molecule.” It produces intense and short-lasting psychedelic effects. When you abuse DMT, you might notice intense visual and sensory distortions as well as visual and auditory hallucinations.

Traditionally, DMT was a powder that you had to smoke. Now, people are using DMT vape pens to abuse the substance. This makes it easier for people to engage in DMT use, and the effects have a rapid onset.

Unfortunately, abusing DMT vape pens can be incredibly dangerous. You could accidentally consume too much DMT at once due to inaccurate dosing, worsen your mental health condition, engage in harmful behaviors due to delusional thinking, and more.

In this article, you will learn:

What is DMT?
What is a DMT vape pen?
How is vaping DMT different from other methods of consumption?
What are the effects of vaping DMT?
What are the long-term dangers of vaping DMT?

What is DMT?

Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound that is found in various plants and even the human body. It is chemically similar to serotonin and other types of tryptamines. This powerful psychedelic compound is known for causing intense and fast-acting hallucinations, altered states of consciousness, and even spiritual experiences.

DMT users report experiencing vivid visual hallucinations and the feeling that they’ve transcended time and space. When smoked or vaporized, people usually experience effects for 5 to 30 minutes, making the effects short-lasting. Even though the effects don’t last long, people often feel like they were tripping for hours or even days.

DMT was originally used in traditional South American rituals, in the form of ayahuasca. However, as hallucinogenic drug use became popular in the United States, people began using DMT recreationally.

Despite its origins, DMT is a Schedule I controlled substance in America.[1] This means it is illegal to grow, sell, purchase, or use it. The potency and intensity of this drug raise significant mental health concerns for its users.

What are DMT Vape Pens?

DMT vape pens are exactly what they sound like. If you’ve ever vaped nicotine or marijuana, you know what a vape pen looks like and how it works. DMT vape pens contain a liquid that has dimethyltryptamine in it, allowing users to inhale the vapors.

Because DMT vape pens are convenient and user-friendly, they’ve brought a whole new customer base to the DMT abuse realm. Now that you no longer have to smoke DMT out of a bowl or bong, people feel like it’s less risky than it is.

Unfortunately, using DMT, especially often, can lead to intense mental health concerns. Even after the drug has left your system, the symptoms of any pre-existing mental health conditions you may have can worsen.

How is Using a Vape Different From Other Methods of Using DMT?

DMT vapes provide a user-friendly and modern twist on a drug that has traditionally been used in a more ritualistic or manual way. Usually, you’d have to smoke DMT freebase or drink ayahuasca from a tea that you brew yourself. This makes the abuse of DMT a bit more time-consuming and involved.

Now that there are DMT vapes, it’s much easier to abuse the drug. It also makes the experience more discreet and portable. People used to have to take extra precautions to make their DMT use private, and now individuals can carry around a DMT vape that looks the same as a nicotine or marijuana vape.

That said, this ease of use can be dangerous. Where people used to have to spend time on attending a shamanic ritual or brewing their tea, now you simply have to hit a button and inhale. This makes it easier to overconsume DMT.

What are the Immediate Effects of DMT Vapes?

Smoking DMT from a vape causes the effects to come on within seconds. They can also be overwhelmingly intense. The effects of vaping this powerful psychedelic substance peak within 2 to 5 minutes and subside within 15 to 30 minutes.

When vaping DMT, you might experience:

Visual Hallucinations – This naturally occurring substance can cause you to experience visual hallucinations like geometric patterns, kaleidoscope imagery, and more.
Auditory Hallucinations – You might hear things that aren’t real, like buzzing, chiming, bells ringing, and even voices.
Altered Perception of Time and Space – It might feel like time has stretched, stopped, or even looped. Some people have reported feeling like they lived a whole other life during their short DMT trip.
Out-of-Body Experiences – As a powerful psychedelic substance, DMT can cause you to have an out-of-body experience. You might feel like you’ve broken through to another dimension.
Intense Emotions – You can feel a wide range of emotions when using DMT. That said, using this potent substance poses significant risks to your mental health because you could feel intense negative emotions like fear, paranoia, distrust in others, and more.

Unlike traditional smoking methods, vaping DMT causes it to be absorbed into your lungs faster. This is why the DMT effects begin rapidly and occur intensely.

What are the Risks of Consuming DMT Vapes?

Dimethyltryptamine is a powerful drug that can lead to adverse reactions. Some of the risks and safety concerns associated with DMT vapes include:

Mental Health Risks – DMT vapes cause intense hallucinations. You might even believe you are communing with otherworldly beings. These harmful effects can increase the intensity of mental health symptoms. You could also develop a condition called hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD).
Unsafe Behaviors – Because dimethyltryptamine is a powerful drug, it can cause you to experience delusions. You might believe you can fly, causing you to engage in unsafe behaviors like jumping off high buildings.
Dependence – Because DMT vapes are so easy to use, you might begin to use them too often. While you can’t become physically dependent on DMT, you can experience a psychological dependence.
Lack of Purity or Dosage Control – When you are purchasing DMT vapes on the street, there is no guarantee of what substances are in the vape juice. It could be laced with other dangerous chemicals that pose health risks. Additionally, there is no way to control your dose of DMT when vaping it, which means you could take too much at once.

Get Connected to a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment Center

Because of the risks of vaping DMT, it is best to avoid doing it altogether. If you find yourself unable to stop using DMT, you might need professional addiction treatment. At New You Sober Living, we can connect you with a highly-rated substance abuse treatment center.

References:

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): N, N-DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE (DMT)
National Institute of Health (NIH): Psychological and physiological effects of extended DMT
NIH: Neuropharmacology of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine

What are DMT Vapes? Understanding the Risk