Argues that Brazil's drug policies tolerate ayahuasca use while prohibiting cannabis use in religious contexts, creating persistent problems for ayahuasca churches and society.
Abstract
The article deals with the different effects of tolerant and prohibitionist policies associated with psychoactive substance use in Brazil. Whereas the licit use of ayahuasca has been successfully incorporated into mainstream Brazilian society, the ritual use of cannabis by one of the Santo Daime religious groups has never been fully accepted and remains a constant source of problems for the ayahuasca churches, their followers and society at large.