Few studies to date have addressed illicit (i.e., nonceremonial)
peyote use among American Indians (AIs). Participants were 89 AI adolescents admitted to a tribally operated residential
substance abuse treatment program (RSATP) between 1998 and 2001. The RSATP is designed to provide specialized treatment of patients with
substance use and other comorbid
psychiatric disorders and is infused with a culturally sensitive approach to treatment. The participants completed a series of interviews that collected information on psychiatric diagnostic status, history of
substance use, and ethnic identity. The majority of participants were male (65%), did not come from a two-parent household (75%), reported a mean use of 5.4 substances, and met full criteria for a median of 2.9
substance use disorders. Of 89 clients, 10 (11.2%) reported illicit use of
peyote. The vast majority of these youth (n = 8) reported using
peyote only once or twice in their lifetime. Illicit
peyote users did not differ from nonusers in terms of age, gender, other
substance use, prevalence of either other
substance abuse/dependence or other nonsubstance use
psychiatric disorders. However, illicit
peyote users were more likely to report low levels of social support, low levels of self-esteem, and low identification with AI culture yet comparable involvement in AI traditional practices. The results of this exploratory study suggest that illicit
peyote use is uncommon among AI adolescents with serious
substance abuse problems.