Ayahuasca and Freedom of Religion in Australia
February 27, 2023 Amar Dhall, Torsten Wiedemann, Manav Satija 1 citation
Australia's regulation of ayahuasca in 2018 involves a complex interplay of federal, state, and territory laws. The chapter examines unsanctioned ayahuasca use, including the legal ambiguity of imported and local ingredients, and analyzes the failed 2017 submission to the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration by the União do Vegetal, which was doomed due to improper framing. It also assesses a constitutionally based challenge to the status quo: while the Australian Constitution implies a freedom of religion, both DMT and harmine in ayahuasca are scheduled substances, and Australia lacks a national Bill of Rights, complicating religious freedom claims. The chapter proposes moving toward a paradigm aligning human laws with natural laws.