Ayahuasca Treatment Legality — the article + the world, ranked

A fuller editorial guide to ayahuasca treatment legality is coming soon. For now, the ranking below compares every country we have assessed on it — open a country's report for the cited detail behind its score.

The country comparison

Which countries are best for ayahuasca treatment legality

The destinations ranked high→low under this lens — each with the reasoning behind its score, the cited evidence one click down, and its full report. The verdict is free; the report is the depth.

19 / 19 Countries ranked

Researched and assessed by the Epidaurus editorial pipeline against our published scale. A country below the rule is not yet assessed enough — never ranked last.

1 Brazil BR 4.0/5 Good Brazil maintains a legally sophisticated but narrowly-scoped framework that explicitly permits ayahuasca in two specific contexts: religious ceremonies (authorized by CONAD Resolution 01/2010 for Santo Daime, UDV, and... Full report
The evidence behind this score 4 cited points
- CONAD Resolution 01/2010 explicitly authorizes religious use through Santo Daime, UDV, and Barquinha, and establishes carve-out for academic research; DMT (isolated) is prohibited but ayahuasca brew and source plants (B. caapi, P. viridis) are not controlled substances
- Foreign nationals have clear legal right to attend ceremonies at recognized religious organizations without citizenship requirements or specific visa documentation
- Brazil conducted the world's first placebo-controlled clinical trial for ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression (UFRN 2019) and ranks third globally in high-impact psychedelic research publications; 2024 Clinical Research Law (14,874/2024) streamlined ethics approval processes
- Standalone therapeutic use prohibited by CONAD 01/2010 outside scientifically validated academic research; commercial ayahuasca tourism explicitly banned; ANVISA January 2025 resolution expanded prohibition to digital advertising and online sales of ayahuasca products/experiences
Read the full Brazil report →
2 Spain ES 3.5/5 Moderate Spain occupies a legal gray zone with strong judicial tolerance but no formal therapeutic licensing framework. Over 30 court acquittals since 2010 and the July 2025 TSJM Ruling 316/2025 (from Spain's second-highest co... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- Over 30 court acquittals in ayahuasca cases since 2010; TSJM Ruling 316/2025 (July 10, 2025) from Spain's second-highest court ruled ayahuasca 'is neither individually listed nor explicitly prohibited under any national or international legal provision'
- DMT classified as Schedule I under Royal Decree 2829/1977, but ayahuasca plant preparation is not listed under Spanish drug control law or the 1971 UN Convention per INCB clarification
- No formal therapeutic licensing system, government-approved treatment centers, or medical professional authorization pathway exist; retreat operators work without government permits
- Over 30 retreat centers operate openly across Spain's regions; international patients access without legal barriers, making Spain one of Europe's primary ayahuasca medical tourism destinations
- Ongoing enforcement continues despite judicial tolerance (October 2024 National Police investigation in Torrelodones); TSJM ruling applies formally only to Madrid jurisdiction, creating geographic inconsistency
Read the full Spain report →
3 Colombia CO 3.5/5 Moderate Colombia offers legally protected ayahuasca access through robust indigenous constitutional rights (Articles 7, 246; ILO Convention 169) and recent government formalization via Decreto Ley 480/2025 (SISPI), with zero ... Full report
The evidence behind this score 3 cited points
- No domestic statute prohibits yagé; brew unscheduled domestically; constitutional protection through Articles 7 and 246 of 1991 Constitution and Law 21/1991 (ILO Convention 169 ratification)
- Zero prosecutions of taitas over 25+ years; Decreto Ley 480/2025 (SISPI) formalizes indigenous medicine as state policy; UNESCO 2011 inscription of Jaguar Shamans adds international legal legitimacy
- International patients may attend recognized taita ceremonies with no documentation or legal restrictions; UMIYAC practitioner network established 1999 with Ministry of Culture recognition; no formal medical exemptions or clinical trial framework
Read the full Colombia report →
4 Mexico MX 3.0/5 Moderate Mexico presents a legal gray area where ayahuasca plant materials are not controlled substances, and Article 195 bis protects traditional spiritual/ceremonial use, but no explicit therapeutic licensing framework exist... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis are not controlled substances under Article 245 of the Mexican General Health Law, and Mexico has not passed specific legislation outlawing ayahuasca
- Article 195 bis of the Federal Penal Code protects use for traditional spiritual practices or ceremonies, created to protect indigenous communities' cultural and religious rights
- Indigenous healer Don Jose Campos received an acquittal in March 2023 after facing 10-25 years in prison, establishing legal precedent distinguishing plant medicine from synthetic DMT
- Practical risk of legal issues for retreat guests is very low, with legal problems mainly relating to import/export of ayahuasca itself rather than participation in ceremonies
- Multiple arrests of shamans entering Mexico with ayahuasca in 2022-2023 after marines took control of customs, showing cross-border transport remains legally complex
Read the full Mexico report →
5 United States US 2.0/5 Poor Ayahuasca is classified as Schedule I controlled substance with DMT federally illegal for all uses except narrow religious exemptions limited to specific churches (UDV, Santo Daime). No medical, clinical, or therapeut... Full report
The evidence behind this score 8 cited points
- DMT is classified as Schedule I controlled substance under federal Controlled Substances Act with no accepted medical use
- Only religious exemptions exist for UDV and specific Santo Daime churches, not accessible to international patients seeking therapeutic use
- No licensed ayahuasca treatment centers; commercial retreat centers operate without legal authorization and have been raided
- Federal penalties include 180-364 days imprisonment for possession, up to 20 years for distribution
- Documented customs seizures and arrests for ayahuasca importation with active enforcement in 2018-2019
- Federal law supersedes state/local decriminalization; Colorado Proposition 122 decriminalized personal possession but federal prohibition applies nationwide
- No medical professional can legally supervise or prescribe ayahuasca therapy under current federal or state law
- International patients have no legal pathway to access therapeutic ayahuasca; foreign nationals face same federal prosecution risk as U.S. citizens
Read the full United States report →
6 India IN 1.0/5 Poor India maintains strict prohibition of ayahuasca and DMT under the NDPS Act of 1985 with zero therapeutic exemptions, no medical supervision pathways, and no religious protections. Penalties are severe (1-20 years impr... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- DMT classified as prohibited substance under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 with no therapeutic exemptions
- Penalties for possession/consumption: small quantity 1 year imprisonment or ₹10,000 fine; intermediate quantity 10 years imprisonment and ₹1 lakh fine; commercial quantity 10-20 years imprisonment and ₹1-2 lakh fine
- All NDPS Act offenses are non-bailable and burden of proof entirely on accused with presumption of culpable mental state
- No religious exemptions for ayahuasca use, no medical licensing frameworks, and no legal treatment centers
- NDPS Act extends to all persons on Indian territory including foreign nationals, with no special provisions for medical tourism
Read the full India report →
7 United Arab Emirates AE 1.0/5 Poor The United Arab Emirates maintains absolute prohibition on DMT and ayahuasca with no medical, religious, or therapeutic exemptions. Ayahuasca is classified as a Schedule V controlled psychotropic substance under Feder... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- DMT/tryptamine classified as Schedule V prohibited psychotropic substance under Federal Decree-Law No. 30 of 2021
- December 2025 amendments imposed minimum 5-year imprisonment, AED 50,000 fines, and mandatory deportation for foreign nationals
- Zero-tolerance policy treats even trace metabolites from legal consumption abroad as prosecutable offense
- No medical exemptions, clinical trial approvals, therapeutic licensing frameworks, or compassionate use pathways exist
- Government actively monitors online discussions about ayahuasca ceremonies; recent trend is toward stricter enforcement rather than liberalization
Read the full United Arab Emirates report →
8 Japan JP 1.0/5 Poor Japan maintains strict prohibition on ayahuasca and DMT as Class I narcotics with no therapeutic, medical, religious, or traditional-medicine exemptions. Active enforcement is documented through the Kyoto DMTea Ceremo... Full report
The evidence behind this score 3 cited points
- DMT classified as narcotic under Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act with penalties up to 7 years for possession/use and up to 10 years for distribution
- Kyoto DMTea Ceremony Case (2022-2025): defendant convicted of manufacturing illegal narcotic despite framing as therapeutic ceremony; therapeutic context rejected by both Kyoto District Court and Osaka High Court
- No medical exemptions, no clinical research pathways, no licensed treatment centers, and mandatory deportation for foreign nationals upon conviction under Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act Article 24
Read the full Japan report →
9 South Korea KR 1.0/5 Poor South Korea maintains absolute prohibition of ayahuasca and DMT with zero medical, therapeutic, religious, or research exemptions. The Narcotics Control Act classifies DMT as a controlled psychotropic substance with s... Full report
The evidence behind this score 6 cited points
- DMT and ayahuasca are classified as controlled psychotropic substances under the Narcotics Control Act with zero exemptions
- Prison sentences range from 1-5 years minimum to life in prison for importing dangerous drugs, and up to 10 years for possession
- Extraterritorial 'no-drugs-abroad' law criminalizes South Korean citizens using drugs legally overseas, enforced through hair follicle testing
- 27,611 drug-related apprehensions in 2023 demonstrate aggressive enforcement with intelligence-led policing
- Medical tourism exclusion: despite 1.17 million international medical tourists in 2024, controlled substances are completely prohibited from medical services
- No medical, religious, or traditional medicine exemptions exist; academic discussion remains preliminary with no legislative movement toward legalization
Read the full South Korea report →
10 Malaysia MY 1.0/5 Poor Malaysia maintains comprehensive prohibition of DMT and ayahuasca with zero therapeutic, medical, religious, or traditional medicine exemptions. The Poisons Act 1952 explicitly schedules DMT as a hallucinogen with no ... Full report
The evidence behind this score 6 cited points
- DMT explicitly listed in First Schedule of Malaysia's Poisons Act 1952 (Act 366) as controlled hallucinogen with no medical exemptions
- No therapeutic use permissions exist; no clinical trials authorized, no treatment center licensing framework, no medical supervision pathway
- No religious exemptions for psychedelic use; Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 covers only recognized traditions (Malay, Chinese, Indian, etc.) but excludes ayahuasca
- No practitioner licensing pathway; any person administering DMT violates Section 30(3) of Poisons Act with criminal liability and reversed burden of proof for possession
- Foreign nationals receive no special legal status; international patients face same prohibitions as residents with no visa pathways or documentation exemptions
- Reform trajectory (2023-2024 decriminalization proposals) focuses on heroin/methamphetamine dependency rehabilitation, not psychedelic therapy; no psychedelic-specific legislative reform proposed
Read the full Malaysia report →
11 Poland PL 1.0/5 Poor Poland maintains one of Europe's strictest prohibitions on ayahuasca, with DMT classified as Group I-P (the most restrictive schedule) and both source plants explicitly banned under the 2009 amendment to the Act on Co... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- DMT classified as Group I-P psychotropic substance under Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction (29 July 2005), the most restrictive schedule
- Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis explicitly prohibited under Poland's 2009 amended plant schedule (Dz. U. Nr 63 poz. 520)
- No therapeutic exemptions, no religious exemptions, no licensed treatment centers, and no ayahuasca clinical trials approved or announced
- Penalties include up to 3 years imprisonment for possession; 1–10 years for significant quantities; up to 9 years for manufacturing
- International patients face complete prohibition with drug convictions triggering deportation proceedings for non-citizens under the Act on Foreigners
Read the full Poland report →
12 Singapore SG 1.0/5 Poor Singapore maintains absolute prohibition on ayahuasca and DMT with no medical, therapeutic, religious, or traditional medicine exemptions. The report establishes Class A controlled substance status with severe penalti... Full report
The evidence behind this score 6 cited points
- DMT explicitly classified as Class A controlled drug under Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, highest tier of prohibition
- All three main ayahuasca source plants (Banisteriopsis caapi, Psychotria viridis, Mimosa tenuiflora) explicitly listed as illegal under MDA
- Zero medical, religious, or traditional medicine exemptions for ayahuasca or DMT
- No clinical trials for ayahuasca or DMT documented in Singapore
- Active enforcement: 25 drug syndicates dismantled in 2024, S$15M+ in seizures
- Extraterritorial jurisdiction allows prosecution of Singapore citizens/residents for consumption in jurisdictions where ayahuasca is legal
Read the full Singapore report →
13 Thailand TH 1.0/5 Poor Thailand strictly prohibits ayahuasca and DMT with no therapeutic exemptions. DMT is classified as Category 1 under the Psychotropic Substances Act with no recognized medical use; the April 2024 psilocybin authorizati... Full report
The evidence behind this score 6 cited points
- DMT classified as Category 1 psychotropic substance under Psychotropic Substances Act B.E. 2518 (1975) — the most restrictive classification for substances with no recognized medical use
- April 2024 ministerial notification authorizing psilocybin mushrooms and opium poppy explicitly excluded DMT and ayahuasca from any clinical research or therapeutic framework
- Possession/consumption penalties: 1–5 years imprisonment and 20,000–100,000 Thai Baht fine; distribution/production/import/export: 5–20 years imprisonment and 100,000–400,000 Baht fine
- December 2024 drug ring bust on Koh Phangan resulted in multiple foreign nationals arrested and prosecuted; foreign nationals face full criminal liability including deportation and lifetime re-entry ban upon conviction
- No licensed ayahuasca treatment centers, legal retreat facilities, or sanctioned therapeutic programs exist anywhere in Thailand
- Underground ceremonies operate entirely outside legal framework with no patient protections, medical screening, trained facilitation, or emergency protocols
Read the full Thailand report →
14 Turkey TR 1.0/5 Poor Turkey maintains absolute prohibition of ayahuasca and DMT with no medical, therapeutic, religious, or traditional medicine exemptions. Possession, distribution, and therapeutic administration carry severe criminal pe... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- DMT is Schedule I under the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances; Turkey is a state party obligated to implement full domestic prohibition (INCB - 1971 Convention)
- Turkish law enforcement under TPC Articles 188–192 imposes 2–5 years for personal possession, 10–20 years for supply/distribution, and 20–30 years for import/export (Viridis Legal Partners, Bıçak Law)
- No medical or therapeutic exemptions exist; Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TİTCK) permits only licensed pharmaceutical substances with no ayahuasca clinical trials registered (TİTCK official guidance)
- Foreign nationals face identical criminal prosecution and administrative deportation with 5–10 year or permanent re-entry bans; only a 7-day challenge window applies (Istanbul Lawyer Firm, Avukat Fevziya Şkır)
- High-profile 2025–2026 enforcement campaign demonstrates active prosecution of personal users at the highest social levels, confirming zero-tolerance stance (Bianet 2026, Turkish Minute May 2026)
Read the full Turkey report →
15 Jordan JO 1.0/5 Poor Jordan maintains a complete prohibition on ayahuasca and DMT with zero therapeutic exemptions or medical pathways. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law (2021) implements Schedule I scheduling for DMT und... Full report
The evidence behind this score 7 cited points
- DMT is Schedule I psychotropic substance under 1971 UN Convention with no recognized medical use in Jordan
- Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law (2021) explicitly prohibits all manufacture, import, export, possession, distribution, and use for non-medical purposes, with felony penalties upgraded in 2021
- No medical exemptions, compassionate-use pathways, right-to-try provisions, or clinical trials for ayahuasca/DMT exist
- No religious exemptions; Islam prohibits intoxicants and no denominations use ayahuasca ceremonially
- Therapeutic administration of controlled substance carries minimum 2-year imprisonment and JD 2,000–5,000 fine
- Drug enforcement intensifying with 38,782 arrests in 2024; no zone of tolerance for psychedelic substances
- Foreign nationals subject to identical prohibitions; no medical tourism framework exists
Read the full Jordan report →
16 Germany DE 1.0/5 Poor Germany maintains one of Europe's strictest legal frameworks for ayahuasca and DMT. DMT is classified in Anlage I (Schedule I) of the Betäubungsmittelgesetz—the most restrictive controlled substance category—with no m... Full report
The evidence behind this score 6 cited points
- DMT explicitly classified in Anlage I (Schedule I) of BtMG—the most restrictive schedule, equivalent to heroin and cocaine
- No medical exemptions, therapeutic licensing, compassionate use pathways, or religious exemptions for ayahuasca or DMT
- Active enforcement documented: 1999 armed raid on Santo Daime ceremony (100+ officers, 62 liters confiscated); 2012+ customs seizures of Mimosa hostilis; 2017 raids on Ayahuasca International retreats
- Penalties: up to 5 years for possession above 3.6 grams; up to 15 years for large quantities
- Zero legal pathway for international patients; import authorization restricted to government-authorized scientific institutions only
- No practitioner licensing, clinical trial authorizations, or medical professional authority to administer ayahuasca
Read the full Germany report →
17 United Kingdom GB 1.0/5 Poor The UK maintains a completely prohibitive legal framework for ayahuasca therapy, with no therapeutic exemptions, no licensed treatment facilities, and severe criminal penalties. DMT is classified as Class A, Schedule ... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- DMT classified Class A, Schedule 1 under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 with maximum penalties of 7 years for possession and life imprisonment for supply
- Court of Appeal explicitly rejected religious liberty arguments for therapeutic ayahuasca use in R v Aziz (2012)
- No statutory or regulatory exemption for therapeutic ayahuasca use exists outside formally approved clinical trials
- No licensed ayahuasca retreat, clinic, or treatment centre operates legally in the United Kingdom
- 2025 government research-licensing reforms explicitly exclude import/export and create no pathway to therapeutic treatment
Read the full United Kingdom report →
18 Hungary HU 1.0/5 Poor Hungary maintains the most restrictive legal environment globally for ayahuasca. A 2025 constitutional amendment explicitly prohibits drug use, production, and distribution at the constitutional level—the first countr... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- DMT is a Schedule I controlled substance under Hungary's implementation of the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances; possession carries up to 2 years imprisonment, distribution up to 5 years
- Hungary's 2025 constitutional amendment (15th Amendment to the Fundamental Law) explicitly bans drug production, use, distribution, and promotion—an unprecedented global restriction
- June 2025 Criminal Code amendments criminalize 'offering or transfer of drugs' without compensation (up to 2 years) and up to 3 years if offered to 10+ people, capturing ceremonial contexts
- No medical exemptions, no clinical trials underway, no licensed ayahuasca facilities, and no legal pathway for international patients; laws apply equally to all persons regardless of nationality
- Active and expanding enforcement: police raids on venues, 211 people searched and 49 detained in single operation, 8 cultural clubs permanently closed, and 150+ drug dealer arrests in first months of enforcement
Read the full Hungary report →
19 Israel IL 1.0/5 Poor Israel maintains a strict prohibition on DMT and ayahuasca under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (1973) with no medical, therapeutic, religious, or research exemptions. The country actively enforces this prohibition thr... Full report
The evidence behind this score 5 cited points
- DMT is classified as a prohibited 'dangerous drug' under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance 5732-1973 with no medical exemptions or therapeutic carve-outs
- Active customs enforcement seizes incoming shipments and practitioners face criminal charges for ceremony organization; documented prosecutions since 2011 including the Tal Arnon case (2015) charging therapeutic administration with 5–10 year potential sentences
- No legal pathways exist for therapeutic use, clinical trials, compassionate use, or religious exemptions; Ministry of Health approvals (MDMA, psilocybin) explicitly exclude ayahuasca/DMT
- International patients face the same criminal exposure as Israeli nationals; no licensed retreat centers or practitioners; Israeli researchers conducted ceremonies in Spain specifically because the activity would be prosecutable in Israel
- Import of ayahuasca ingredients is illegal; customs routinely seizes packages containing plant materials or prepared brew
Read the full Israel report →

See the full ranking, the 1–5 rubric and the reports →