Assessment of Alcohol and Tobacco Use Disorders Among Religious Users of Ayahuasca
Paulo César Ribeiro Barbosa, Luís Fernando Tófoli, Michael P. Bogenschutz, Robert Hoy, Laís F. Berro, E.a.v. Marinho, Kelsy Catherina Nema Areco, Michael Winkelman
Frontiers in Psychiatry April 24, 2018 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00136 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMembers of the Brazilian União do Vegetal (UDV) who drink ayahuasca in ceremonies show lower rates of current alcohol and tobacco use disorders compared to the general Brazilian population, even though their lifetime use of these substances is higher. Among 1,947 UDV members aged 18 and older, those who attended more ceremonies in the previous year and had longer membership reported greater reductions in alcohol and tobacco problems. The findings suggest that regular ceremonial ayahuasca use, within a religious context, is associated with reduced substance misuse, particularly for adults over 24 years old.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study with normative comparison Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,947 |
| Population | Brazilian members of União do Vegetal (UDV) aged 18 and older |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Attendance Psychiatry Medicine Environmental health |
| Citations | 95 |
| Key finding | Current alcohol and tobacco use disorders were significantly lower among UDV members than in a national normative sample, and both ceremony attendance and years of membership predicted reductions in substance use disorder. |
Abstract
The aims of this study were to assess the impact of ceremonial use of ayahuasca-a psychedelic brew containing N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carboline -and attendance at União do Vegetal (UDV) meetings on substance abuse; here we report the findings related to alcohol and tobacco use disorder. A total of 1,947 members of UDV 18+ years old were evaluated in terms of years of membership and ceremonial attendance during the previous 12 months. Participants were recruited from 10 states from all major regions of Brazil. Alcohol and tobacco use was evaluated through questionnaires first developed by the World Health Organization and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Analyses compared levels of alcohol and tobacco use disorder between the UDV and a national normative sample (n = 7,939). Binomial tests for proportions indicated that lifetime use of alcohol and tobacco was higher in UDV sample compared to the Brazilian norms for age ranges of 25-34 and over 34 years old, but not for the age range of 18-24 years old. However, current use disorders for alcohol and tobacco were significantly lower in the UDV sample than the Brazilian norms. Regression analyses revealed a significant impact of attendance at ayahuasca ceremonies during the previous 12 months and years of UDV membership on the reduction of alcohol and tobacco use disorder.