Intersecting Cultures
February 27, 2023 Emma Garrod, Katrina Blommaert 2 citations
Ayahuasca's legal status in Canada is complex: its active ingredients DMT and harmaline are Schedule III controlled substances, making its sale, possession, and use generally criminal. Despite this, underground retreats operate, claiming benefits for addiction and trauma but lacking safety regulations or practitioner standards. In June 2017, Health Canada granted Section 56 Exemptions to the Santo Daime and UDV churches, allowing legal import and ritual use; six churches now operate under this exemption. The chapter examines ayahuasca's legal journey, government regulations for those churches, and the implications of criminalization and unregulated use.