Kültürel Miras ile Uyuşturucu Madde Tartışmaları Arasında Ayahuasca
Kocatepe İslami İlimler Dergisi December 12, 2023 Nadide Şahin
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive beverage traditionally used by Indigenous communities in the Amazon basin for spiritual, medicinal, and shamanic purposes, has become a subject of international debate as its use spreads globally. The drink contains the hallucinogenic compound DMT, which is activated by MAO inhibitors from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine. This paper examines the tension between classifying ayahuasca as a cultural heritage—valued for its role in Indigenous identity, community bonding, and spiritual insight—versus classifying it as a narcotic under international drug control laws. The authors review arguments from anthropologists who advocate for protecting Indigenous rights and traditions, and from states that emphasize compliance with international treaties restricting hallucinogenic substances. The study aims to contribute to the literature on this complex intersection of cultural preservation and drug policy.