In the United Kingdom, ayahuasca, a psychedelic drug traditionally used in South America, has been shown to improve people’s general sense of wellbeing and may offer a treatment for alcoholism and depression according to new research.
Using Global Drug Survey data from more than 96,000 people worldwide, researchers from the University of Exeter and University College London found that ayahuasca users reported lower problematic alcohol use than people who took LSD or magic mushrooms. “These findings lend some support to the notion that ayahuasca could be an important and powerful tool in treating depression and alcohol use disorders,” said lead author Dr Will Lawn, of University College London.
Ayahuasca – a blend of the Psychotria Viridis bush and the stems of the Banisteriopsis Caapi vine – is used by indigenous tribes and religious groups in the Amazon region; but, it contains dimethyltryptamine, which is an illegal class A drug in the UK.