Religious Freedom and the Global Regulation of Ayahuasca

Description

This book offers a comprehensive view of the legal, political, and ethical challenges related to the global regulation of ayahuasca, bringing together an international and interdisciplinary group of scholars. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew containing N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which is a Schedule I substance under the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the legality of its ritual use has been interpreted differently throughout the world. The chapters in this volume reflect on the complex implications of the international expansion of ayahuasca, from health, spirituality, and human rights impacts on individuals, to legal and policy impacts on national governments. While freedom of religion is generally protected, this protection depends on the recognition of a religion’s legitimacy, and whether particular practices may be deemed a threat to public health, safety, or morality. Through a comparative analysis of different contexts in North America, South America, and Europe in which ayahuasca is consumed, the book investigates the conceptual, philosophical, and legal distinctions among the fields of shamanism, religion, and medicine. It will be particularly relevant to scholars with an interest in indigenous religion and in religion and law. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Contributors Introduction: The Regulation of Ayahuasca and Its Challenges: From the Global to the Local 1 Ayahuasca Vision 2021: Legal Status of Ayahuasca in the United States 2 Church of the Holy Light of the Queen v. Mukasey: The Regulation of a Santo Daime Church in the State of Oregon 3 Intersecting Cultures: Exploring Ayahuasca’s Legal and Ethical Journey in Canada 4 Regulating Ayahuasca in the United Kingdom: Proactive Approaches 5 Santo Daime in Belgium and the Netherlands: Prejudice, Pluralism, and the Daunting Quest for Religious Freedom in Europe 6 The Landscapes of Ayahuasca in Contemporary France 7 Ayahuasca and Freedom of Religion in Australia: Entheogens in a Post-Colonial Shadow 8 A Genealogy of the Ayahuasca Cultural Heritage Registration Process in Brazil 9 “Authorization? That’s Outrageous:” Ayahuasca Environmental Legislation and Indigenous Populations in Brazil 10 Debates on the Legality and Legitimacy of Yage in Colombia 11 Ayahuasca in Uruguay: Legal Aspects and Public Debates on Drugs and Religion 12 Mystics or Criminals? “Cults,” Religion, and Drugs 13 A Defense Expert Witness on Ayahuasca: An Interview with José Carlos Bouso Afterword: A Call for Public Support against the Current Demonization of Ayahuasca Practices in Spain Index