Legality depends on where you are. Ayahuasca is legal for religious use in Brazil, recognized as national cultural heritage in Peru, and legally protected for indigenous use in Colombia. In the United States, DMT is a Schedule I controlled substance. The Supreme Court’s 2006 ruling in Gonzales v. O Centro Espírita Beneficente União do Vegetal granted narrow religious protection to the UDV specifically. That protection does not extend to individuals or retreat operators operating outside that specific religious context. Most of Western Europe prohibits it. Colombia and Peru are the most accessible legal destinations for ceremony (Sánchez Avilés & Rebollo, ICEERS, 2019; DEA, 2024).
