Is Ayahuasca dangerous?

As more and more people come to Ayahuasca, an estimated 4m people (ICEERS study) around the world have experienced the potent Amazonian brew, so too has plant medicine interest piqued.

With many celebrities now happy to talk openly about their Ayahuasca experiences and the name appearing in many a Hollywood production, its widespread popularity has set curiosity to an all time high. Ayahuasca’s ability to accelerate and support emotional, mental, physical and spiritual healing being a key factor drawing in people’s interest. 

Stories and accounts of otherworldly, unimaginable and indescribable experiences have also added to the global intrigue surrounding this plant medicine. So too has the media exposure surrounding Ayahuasca. 

And if there’s one thing the media like to do, it’s SENSATIONALISE. Equally, they never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Between 2010 and 2022 there were 58 deaths attributed to Ayahuasca by the media. These Ayahuasca death stories often spread through social media like wildfire leading many to form uneducated and ill informed opinions about this sacred medicine.

For many of those working with Ayahuasca these stories were also great cause for concern. Ayahuasqueros tend to take their work and the responsibility it carries with the utmost seriousness. That said, there was also a growing suspicion that the circumstances and details of these stories didn’t quite ring true.

All deaths are sad and tragic events leaving behind bereaved families, which is why it’s important that the true cause of death is discovered and reported.

Study & report by ICEERS

Thankfully the recent investigation by the non profit organisation ICEERS (International Centre for Ethnobotanical Educations Research and Services) has shed new light on the reality of these Ayahuasca deaths.  

Thanks to research we know that to induce death by poisoning with Ayahuasca you would need to administer 20 times the dose needed to induce psychoactivity. For perspective, alcohol is ten times and cocaine is fifteen times. Anyone who has drank ayahuasca immediately understands the absurdity of going 20 times over a normal dose and the possibility of that ever happening.

None of the 58 deaths involving Ayahuasca were coupled with an autopsy or toxicological examination that could determine Ayahuasca as the cause of death. In some cases the deaths were days or even months after a ceremony. In other words there was little to no evidence that ayahuasca had been involved in all these cases.

Many of the related deaths could have been avoided with minimal safety standards and due care and attention. You can find a much more in depth analysis of the report on the ICEERS website (https://www.iceers.org/ayahuasca-global-consumption-deaths/)

So what are the risks?

This is not to say drinking and serving Ayahuasca is not without risks. Anything that induces altered states of consciousness should be worked with cautiously and in the correct context. There are a number of contraindications with Ayahuasca including mental health issues, physical health issues and certain pharmaceutical medications that can make Ayahuasca consumption a dangerous risk.

It’s therefore important those risks are mitigated by detailed screening of participants and minimum safety standards around the ceremony, including correct after care and supervision.

Even in the safest most well thought out space there is always the risk of unfortunate events, as in all walks of life. Especially so in the Ayahuasca world, as many times those working with this brew come to it in a vulnerable state, sometimes it’s even their last resort.

The numbers, however, speak for themselves, in particular when drilled down from 4 million to 58 with actual evidence based cause of death being reduced to 0.

That’s not to say that harm isn’t caused in the plant medicine world, as always, please thoroughly research this space and the providers you intend to work with before joining a retreat or ceremony, you might find this article useful.

Picture credit: Ayari Warmi by Pablo Amaringo