“Why does this have to be a secretive religeous cult how does the HE know people just aren'yt simply getting high?

I have partaken in DMT many times cooked up by a friend however this was in no way based on any religeous sacrement.
Is the HE postulating that all people who take acid or halucinagenci mushrooms or peyopte cactus are after some form of religeous vision or feeling?!
BOLLO*KS! Although it may be hard to concieve some people just like to get HIGH”

“To the comments below, assuming these people are genuine religious believers, their freedom to express it is guaranteed by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. They can make this point in the courts if they want. This doesn't give people carte blanche to break the rules on prohibited drugs. There's a good case for legalising all drug use but that's not because of any restriction on religious freedoms.

As for this being awful journalism, I thought it was unbiased and factual.”

“This article is evidence of why this religion is 'secretive' in prohibitionist areas like the UK and the US. I'd like to submit some information for consideration. Christians met secretly for portions of the Roman Empire, Jews worshiped secretly in Egypt and again in Nazi Germany, Christians (Protestant) and Catholics alternately worshiped secretly throughout periods of Europe's history while the other was in power and today Baha'is are forced to worship secretly under Iran's harsh Theocracy. There is no question which side our governments are on. Oppression and religious persecution are wrong any way you look at it. The US was founded on religious freedom and look what we've done with it.

More accurate information about Ayahuasca can be found here:
http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/ayahuasca/ayahuasca.shtml

I don't pretend to know why Christians, Jews, Muslims or any other religious people believe what they believe or why they do what they do, but I do recognize that it is their right to do so. Where are our rights?”

“This article is evidence of why Santo Daime is 'secretive' religion in prohibitionist places like the UK, US and many other backwards countries. I'd like to submit some information for your consideration. Christians met secretly during portions of the Roman Empire, Judaism was a secret religion in Egypt and again in Nazi Germany, Christians (Protestant) and Catholics have both worshiped in secret during alternating periods in European history, today Baha'is are forced to worship secretly in Iran. I think it is obvious which side today's governments fall on. Opression and religious persecution is never right. The US was founded on the principle of religious freedom and look what we've done with it.

More information about Ayahuasca can be found here:
http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/ayahuasca/ayahuasca.shtml

I don't pretend to know why Christians, Muslims, Jews or any other religious people believe what they believe or live the ways they live, but I do recognize it as their right to do so. The majority doesn't need protection, rights are for the minorities. So where are our rights?”

“While, on the whole, this article is reasonably balanced I'd object to the description of Santo Daime as a 'secretive' religion.
In Brazil, Holland and other countries where use of their sacrament is not (by inference from what it MAY contain) criminalised this religion is practiced quite openly & freely.

Also, Ayahuasca is no more a drug than bark from the willow tree - which contains a form of asprin - is a drug.

Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a drug, but it is very different from Ayahuasca. As others have stated Ayahuasca does not necessarily contain DMT, and it is not considered an essential constituent. That said the DMT containing plans often used are recognised as a useful admixture in assisting freeing one's mind from its ego, gaining a new perspective on life and one's behaviours and patterns of action.

Ayahuasca is used as a sacrament or tool by 3 different Brazilian religions and studies carried out on members of one such group (Charles Grob et al, 1996 - Human psychopharmacology of hoasca, a plant hallucinogen used in ritual context in Brazil; J. Callaway et al, 1999) revealed a significant decline in alcoholism, violent behaviour and drug use in members since beginning working with Ayahuasca. It also showed, compared to a control group, Ayahuasca using members were more reflective, rigid, loyal, stoic, slow-tempered, frugal, orderly and persistent, with greater emotional maturity, greater confidence & more relaxed, optimistic, outgoing and energetic.

This research shouldn't be surprising given Ayahuasca's ritual use for thousands of years in South America.

Having used Ayahuasca - less frequently than I would have liked & not in a formalised religious context - I can say that while it is not necessarily physically pleasant or enjoyable it is a valuable & life-enhancing experience which everyone should be free to choose to undergo.

It is by no means a 'drug' trip taken for hedonistic reasons but can at times be a difficult and uncomfortable look at some of the most unpleasant & surpressed parts of your own soul & past behaviour. Those who choose to expand their knowledge of themselves with the aid of an entheogenic sacrament like Ayahuasca, in a supportive, respectful & spiritual group context should not be constrained by the state from doing so.
Their actions are private and cause no harm to others, or to themselves.

My prayers are with the couple arrested, hopefully either no charges will be brought or the subsequent court case will reaffirm their freedom to seek self-knowledge with the aid of Ayahuasca.”

“Legally, I think in the UK most plants containing substances like DMT are legal to possess unless you actually try to extract something from them. That's why it was the brewed ayahuasca that was confiscated not the original plant material.

Practically, ayahuasca apparently tastes foul and trying to consume the stuff involves a lot of vomiting. So it's not exactly a drug craze. Only really determined people tend to do it.

Morally, I'd like to know what actual harm this arrest was intended to prevent or stop. From the story it appears to me like two people had their personal choice and freedom violated and are being persecuted for practising their religion.

There are plenty of out-dated laws that could be enforced but aren't because they are so daft. Extracting industrial-scale quantities of DMT from a plant in a chem lab is one thing but being busted for brewing the plant for personal use just looks to me like victimisation.

DMT was made made illegal to possess as a class-A drug along with any other psychedelic or hallucinogen that was known about at the time in the 60s/70s. It occurs naturally in many plants and also in the human body. Maybe we should all hand ourselves in to our nearest police station for possession of a class A drug then.”

“Typical. No mention of the history of entheogen usage, just mention to "drugs". It can be easily assumed that no one involved in the policing side of the investigation has any real knowledge of the brew. They have no idea of the validity of shamanism... poor western minds... still lost in the void our society has created for the masses that are born into it. Perhaps public awareness will rise if the Santo Daime win the case, if Ayahuasca is made illegal that will be the end for me, I'll do all I can for the truth to be told and for the rights of human beings to achieve direct spiritual experience.”

“This propaganda is far more of a concern than any ceremony involving ayahuasca. It clearly originates from a fear-based viewpoint deeply immersed in ignorance and blind acquiescence to a legal system that has a history or poor judgements. It is a pity the author of this one-sided tirade didn't do the most basic of research before unquestioningly supporting the authoritarian position. A great place to begin would be that most reputable of publications, National Geographic, which featured a well balanced account of an ayahuasca retreat. Link here... http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0603/features/peru.html
Lazy, lazy journalism.”

“this is awful Journalism, where are your standards?

First time siezed in the West? are you kidding? there been multiple instances in the USA, Australia, The Netherlands, and so on. Even a cursory search would turn this up. There are even documentaries, in english, covering the matter!

I also find it offensive the way that terms are placed in commas, like 'Sacrament', 'Church', as if to mock these people for their beliefs. Dont forget your institutional "churches" still maintain a "divine being" created women from a rib bone, and that your "saviour" came from a "virgin birth". That last bit always makes me chuckle- some one didnt pay attention in sex-ed obviously!

also Ayahuasca, the brew, does not necessarily contain DMT. That is only one version. What it always contains is Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi), a Jungle liane containing the compounds Harmine, Harmaline and Tetrohydroharmine. These exhibit antidepressant qualities, are antiparasitic and in high enough doses sedative and purgative. They a have a low toxicity and the effects wear off after a few hours, the beneficial effects may however last several days to weeks.
There are numerous published studies showing that regular use of Ayahuasca improves health of the participants, mentally.
Some of these drugs have been used in western medicine in the past as antidepressants.
The DMT occurs naturally in the human brain and spinal fluid and in a large number of plants. It is naturally produced and degraded and plays an unknown role in the human body. The vine drink slows the breakdown mechanism and allows its effects to intensify. many Tribes do not add any DMT to the ayahuasca.

Your Journos should lift their game. A secondary school student could find more accurate information”

“Please take a little time to investigate the religion. It's a recognized religion in many countries and where it's legal people meet openly and freely to sing and pray together. Please use academics, doctors, scientists and psychologists who've studied it extensively as sources of information and not sensationalist nonsense when informing the public. Please take care and be considerate as I'm sure you would be with any other recognized religion. Thank you.”