This study (n=86, 2005) compared the substance consumption of adolescents within a Brazilian ayahuasca sect with adolescents who never drank ayahuasca. The authors found that the ayahuasca group was not at a higher risk of drug misuse, and that the non-ayahuasca group contained a higher proportion of alcohol users. Lifetime substance consumption, however, did not differ between the two groups.

Abstract

“Ritual use of ayahuasca within the context of the Brazilian ayahuasca churches often starts during late childhood or early adolescence. Premature access to psychoactive drugs may represent a risk factor for drug misuse. Conversely, religious affiliation seems to play a protective role in terms of substance abuse. The objective of this study was to describe patterns of drug use in a sample of adolescents using ayahuasca within a religious setting. Forty-one adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect were compared with 43 adolescents who never drank ayahuasca. No significant differences were identified in terms of lifetime substance consumption. Throughout the previous year period, ayahuasca adolescents used less alcohol (46.31%) than the comparison group (74.4%). Recent use of alcohol was also more frequent among the latter group (65.1%) than among ayahuasca drinkers (32.5%). Although not statistically significant, slight differences in terms of patterns of drug use were definitely observed among groups. Despite their early exposure to a hallucinogenic substance, adolescents using ayahuasca in a controlled setting were mostly comparable to controls except for a considerably smaller proportion of alcohol users. Religious affiliation may have played a central role as a possible protective factor for alcohol use. Thus, ayahuasca seems to be a relatively safe substance as far as drug misuse is concerned.”

Authors: Evelyn Doering-Silveira, Charles S. Grob, Marlene Dobkin de Rios, Enrique Lopez, Luisa K. Alonso, Cristiane Tacla & Dartiu Xavier Da Silveira

Summary

Adolescents are offered the opportunity to participate in ayahuasca ceremonies in Brazil, where it is used as a psychoactive ritual sacrament. However, no accurate assessments of patterns of other psychoactive substance use among adolescents who drink ayahuasca within a religious setting have been made.

A study was conducted on 84 adolescents, ranging from l5 to l9 years of age, in two different Brazilian cities. Forty-one adolescents had drunk ayahuasca in a ritual context for at least twice month during the two-year period preceding evaluation.

Participants were assessed for lifetime use, last year use, and recent use of psychoactive drugs.

In the ayahuasca group, 23 adolescents were male and 8 female. Their mean age was l6.49 l 34 years, and most of them lived with their parents.

In the comparison group, 23 adolescents were male and 20 female, with a mean age of l6.65 l.0 years. Most were single and lived with their parents.

Twenty-five adolescents started drinking ayahuasca systematically during childhood, five began drinking when adolescents, and one abstained from drinking ayahuasca for at least twenty days.

Ayahuasca users had a higher frequency of psychoactive drug use than controls, but no statistically significant differences were observed in terms of lifetime frequency of cocaine use.

Drug use during the last year was higher among controls than among UDV members, although the differences were not statistically significant.

In the previous month, 65.5% of adolescents from the comparison group reported alcohol use, while only 32.5% of UDV members did so. No significant differences could be detected among groups regarding other substances.

Psychoactive drugs are used to reduce anxiety, inhibitions, and low self-esteem among other undesirable feelings in young people. The systematic exposure to ayahuasca may predispose these adolescents to use or even abuse other psychoactive substances, but affiliation with a religious group may also play a protective role.

In a comprehensive research investigation of ayahuasca in long-term adult members of the UDV, subjects appeared to have experienced a remission of severe psychiatric disorders, including drug and alcohol abuse, following their entry into this religion.

Adolescents who drink ayahuasca within a religious context have similar substance consumption profiles to the control group, except for a significantly smaller proportion of alcohol users. Ayahuasca drinkers are also considered to be more confident, optimistic, outgoing, energetic, persistent, reflective, and scored higher than controls in measures of social desirability and emotional maturity.

The present study could not evaluate the influence of distinct dimensions of religiousness on the outcome.

Among UDV members, some adolescents had used cocaine or crack in the past, but discontinued using this substance more recently. Ayahuasca is considered a safe substance and potentially useful as medicine.