INTRODUCTION 
Many reviews covering the broad subject of hallucinogenic 
plants have been published in recent years (Agurell 1969; Brown 
1972; Der Marderosian 1966, 1967a, 1967b; Emboden, Jr., 1972, 
1979: Farnsworth 1968, 1969; Furst 1972; Heim 1963b; Heim et 
al. 1967; Hoffer and Osmund 1967; Holmstedt and Kline 1967; 
Ott 1976a; Pelt 1971; Schultes 196la and b, 1963, 1965, 1966a, 
1969a, b, c, and d, 1970a, b, c, and d, 1972a and b, 1976a, b, and 
c, 1981; Schultes and Hofmann 1973, 1979, 1980; Stafford 1977; 
Wagner 1969). In addition, many reviews on various aspects of 
Cannabis and the cannabinoids have recently appeared (Abel 
1976; Bailey 1974; Bech et al. 1974; Bhargava 1978; Bloch et al. 
1978; Braude and Szara 1976a, 1976b; Carr et al. 1970; Goode 
1970; Graham 1976; Grinspoon 1971; Hanus and Krejci 1974; 
Joyce and Curry 1970; Kurzman and Fullerton 1975; Lemberger 
and Rubin 1975; Lewis 1972; Mechoulam 1970, 1973; Mechou- 
lam et al. 1976; Mendelson et al. 1974; Merlin 1972; Miller and 
Drew 1974; Morris and Farnsworth 1973; Nahas 1976; Neu- 
meyer and Shagoury 1971; Pagel and Sanders 1976; Paxton and 
Crown 1970; Quimby 1974; Razdan 1973; Rubin 1975; Rubin 
and Comitas 1975; Saulle 1973; Schoénhofea 1973; Schultes 
1973; Schultes et al. 1974; Small 1976; Small and Cronquist 
1976; Small 1979; Stefanis, Dornbush and Fink 1977; Turner at 
al. 1980; and Waller et al. 1976). The chemistry, synthesis and 
pharmacology of these cannabinoids have been of major con- 
cern in most of the foregoing reviews. Although the current 
literature of hallucinogens is voluminous (for example from 300 
to 400 original research papers are being published annually on 
various aspects of Cannabis alone), our fundamental knowledge 
in the field of these drugs has probably not increased in 
proportion to the amount of research in progress. 
From the vast array of species in the Plant Kingdom— 
variously estimated at from 200,000 to 800,000—a few have been 
employed in primitive societies for millennia to induce visual, 
auditory, tactile, and other hallucinations. Because of their 
unearthly effects that often defy description, they have usually 
been considered sacred and have played central roles as sacra- 
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