At Chacruna: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Problematic Process for Religious Exemption for Use of Prohibited Psychoactive Substances

Brad Bartlett, Esq.

There are hundreds of groups using ayahuasca in ceremonial underground contexts in the United States. They all dream of future legalization and the ability to use ayahuasca as a religious sacrament without fear of criminal prosecution. In this piece, I discuss the current legal mechanisms that the U.S. Government has in place for such situations; a rather complicated scenario that, as currently constituted, seemingly disfavors religious free exercise... continue reading.