Audax Huxley's Footnote

Audax Huxley' s use of mescaline was misunderstood. Many people believed that he was a drug addict. But Huxley says everyone needs a "chemical vacation". When I first read it i thought to myself what does this mean? But then it occurred to me, that maybe what he meant by this was that at some point everyone needs to escape reality. So what is this drug? What does it do? According to scientist the effects mescaline are" Users typically experience visual hallucinations and radically altered states of consciousness, often experienced as pleasurable and illuminating but occasionally is accompanied by feelings of anxiety or revulsion. Other effects include: open and closed eye visualizations, euphoria, dream-like state, laughter and a psychedelic experience" (http://www.drugs.com/mescaline.html) So why would'nt people want a chemical vaction at times? Audax Huxley is one of the most respected writers, and maybe it was because he experimented a little too much with drugs. But there's nothing wrong with me overly happy.