I am saddened by the plans of my government to criminalize all plant products that contain DMT if there is a suspicion that it is to be used as a drug. It feels like a huge step backwards. Many countries have taken the route of decriminalization with varying degrees of freedom, but I wonder, where is it actually legal to practice Ayahuasca healing? I know there's something going on in the Netherlands. Do any of you know any details about it or other countries? I'd be especially interested in the situation in Europe.

Thanks for being able to share this concern. It feels like a sad day even though this was expected.

Are you American?

Ayahuasca retreats and literal ayahuasca cults exist in Spain currently as far as I know. Other candidates would be Portugal, and MAYBE italy but for those two maybe ask natives that can actually read the proper law regulations

I had a talk with a lawyer re: legal status of ayahuasca and other ethnobotanicals in Spain, here are the main points:

- Internationally, ayahuasca and ethnobotanical preparations are NOT controlled, even though individual ingredients within those preparations may be controlled. The International Narcotics Control Board says in the 2010 report:



Individual countries may have specific legislation regarding those plants, but not because of international treaties.

- In Spain specifically, ayahuasca use or possession is not controlled. The law that defines controlled substances is the Real Decreto 2829/1977,, which lists DMT but not ayahuasca itself. On the other hand, the Spanish Medication Agency lists the plants that can' t be sold due to their "toxicity", which includes Banisteriopsis caapi, Amanita muscaria/pantherina, Psilocybe sp and several other plants(but NOT psychotria viridis). The possession or use is not controlled though, just the sale.

In practice, ayahuasca is taken by several groups, be it more traditional groups such as Santo Daime, or other neo shamanistic groups or more informal groups or individuals.. In any case though they are not openly advertised. You can probably find by asking around, maybe searching the net for related groups, but they generally avoid open publicity to avoid legal issues, despite the mentioned favorable legal status.

Thank you L-dreamer and endlessness!

I recently visited Portugal and what I gather from my short visit is that in spite of the decriminalization policy, the society is not very liberal (about weed at least). May be regional though.

Netherlands seems to have legit psychedelic retreats that operate openly. Anyone happen to have information or links about how such entrepreneurship is regulated there?

Just want to add this.

In Italy ayahuasca was legal (grey area, because DMT is illegal) until March, when Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis were added to Schedule I, along with harmine and harmaline. The Ministry of Health cited two non-lethal harmine intoxication episodes happened in 2011 and 2018 as the reason for the scheduling of harmala alkaloids and ayahuasca.

Speaking about Europe in general, in my opinion ayahuasca gained popularity in many European countries in recent years. There is also an international association that promotes "life-changing ayahuasca retreats". They do plain ayahuasca advertising on their social network profiles.
The founder claims to have been trained by the Cofán people, but obviously they deny this.

I guess this association still operates in other European countries, so please if you find a retreat get informed on who the organizers are.

In Australia the legal dose for possession of DMT till 1000 mg (!)

Thanks for the info! You got a source for this?

https://www.abc.net.au/n...d-in-canberra/101139060

https://www.abc.net.au/n...eroin-ice-mdma/12982192

https://www.loc.gov/item...-use-comes-into-effect/ - (up to 50gr dried Cannabis is legal now in Australia.)

Italy changed the status of ayahuasca plants this year. Until now a relative liberal country to it's use, now it becomes definitely illegal to us then in this country.

https://www.iceers.org/i...sion-schedule-ayahuasca/

You're living in scandinavia, right? I've not heard about this plans.

Does anybody actually care about legal status?

I personally do, even though I do indulge in illegal substances use anyway.

I would welcome for these tools to become legal, as I wouldn't need to worry about things I need to worry about right now, just because they are illegal.

= California =
Senators Approve Psychedelics Legalization Bill In Committee

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https://www.marijuanamom...tion-bill-in-committee/

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The “allowable amount” section of the bill prescribes the following psychedelics possession limits:

DMT—2 grams

Ibogaine—15 grams

Psilocybin—2 grams, or up to 4 ounces of “a plant or fungi containing psilocybin”

Psilocyn—2 grams, or up to 4 ounces of “a plant or fungi containing psilocyn.”

I'm in a similar camp. While I find psychedelics multifaceted, one powerful facet in my perspective is that of therapeutic application in a world full of people that need healing on psychological levels.

Unfortunately, most people dictate their morals and scruples based off of legislation to a large extent. We can look at all the people that opened themselves up to cannabis that had previously been against it when that started becoming legal across the U.S. I personally know people that were vehemently against it that now smoke and a large part is because there was no fear about getting in trouble over interacting with it. The law, for many people, generates specific stigmas about specific things.

I am however also against what I feel to be overly restrictive and unnecessary legislation over something that I feel people should be able to freely experience and explore. I'm not against law and order (there's a reason we have locks on our doors), but I am against unnecessary and damaging mandates that in turn destroy and wreck marginalized communities.

One love