Reassessing ayahuasca regulation in Brazil: strategic framing and cumulative gains
Drugs Education Prevention and Policy October 14, 2024 Felipe Krause 2 citations
Ayahuasca gained popularity in early twentieth-century northern Brazil, sparking political tension due to moral hostility. Despite the prohibition of DMT and the intensification of the War on Drugs, three phases of cumulative political gains led to full regulation of ayahuasca in 2010. Ayahuasca churches first constructed a religious frame emphasizing Christian pedigree. When harassment intensified, they reframed ayahuasca as a charitable endeavor. Finally, during the transition to democracy, they added a scientific frame, collaborating with the state to review evidence and set policy.