Debates on the Legality and Legitimacy of Yage in Colombia
February 27, 2023 Alhena Caicedo Fernández 3 citations
The consumption of yagé (ayahuasca) in Latin America has spread through different forms of use varying by country. In Brazil, religious use is recognized, while in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, therapeutic use has allowed recent expansion of ritual consumption. In Colombia, the close relationship between yagé and Indianness in the national imaginary has enabled new uses beyond traditional contexts. Despite commodification and transnational expansion, the legality and legitimacy of yagé uses remain rooted in national social and legal frameworks. This chapter explores Colombia's diversity of uses—from traditional Indigenous and mestizo practices to new urban uses—and examines the normative and legal frameworks regulating them in relation to the multiculturalism adopted by the Colombian State in the 1990s, along with policies of patrimonialization and medicalization, to consider future challenges.