Legal status of ayahuasca by country

Legal status of ayahuasca by country refers to the varying laws and regulations concerning the use of ayahuasca, a traditional spiritual medicine from the Amazon region, in different countries around the world. The legal status of ayahuasca varies greatly from country to country, with some nations allowing its use for religious or therapeutic purposes, while others have strict prohibitions in place.

Overview

Ayahuasca is a brew made from the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub along with the stalks of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, though other plants and ingredients can be added as well. This brew has been used for centuries by indigenous tribes in South America for healing and spiritual purposes. The primary active ingredient in ayahuasca is Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a powerful hallucinogenic compound.

Legal status by country

United States

In the United States, DMT is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal to manufacture, distribute, or possess. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao do Vegetal that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protects the use of ayahuasca by the União do Vegetal church.

Brazil

In Brazil, the use of ayahuasca is legal and is recognized as a part of the cultural and religious practices of several Amazonian tribes. The Brazilian government has also sanctioned the use of ayahuasca by several syncretic churches, such as the Santo Daime and the União do Vegetal.

Canada

In Canada, DMT is classified as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, making it illegal to produce, distribute, or possess. However, there have been legal exemptions granted for religious groups to use ayahuasca in ceremonial contexts.

Other countries

The legal status of ayahuasca varies greatly in other countries, with some like Peru and Costa Rica allowing its use in religious and therapeutic contexts, while others like France have strict prohibitions in place.

See also

• War on drugs
• Drug policy
• Psychedelic therapy