2 Ayahuasca Legalization Bills In New York State 2023
It’s Happening! Things Are Moving Forward!
We (www.GaiaSagrada.com) have been watching the laws in the USA for quite a while now to see if there will be a law passed that protects shamans and religious use of the medicines. It looks like New York state will be the first to make it possible for shamans and spiritual use of the medicines!!!
If you live in New York, call or write to your representative and express your support for the bills, or whichever one you support. All it takes is a phone call or letter. Here is where you can find representative information. New York Senators, Representatives, and Congressional District Maps — GovTrack.us
Three bills for psychedelic medicines did not pass last year. https://www.lucid.news/three-bills-shift-psychedelic-policy-new-york/ Maybe 2023 is the charm with the amendments to these bills.
CEREMONIAL USE OF THE MEDICINES
This is the difference between New York’s bill written by Democrat Linda Rosenthal vs other bills in other states. It protects the shamans and religious use of the medicines, namely ayahuasca, psilocybin (mushrooms), San Pedro, Peyote (mescaline medicines), ibogaine, and other plant medicines, removing them from the Schedule I list of illegal substances.
Here is the bill if you want to see it, Bill A114 (or A00114) https://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&leg_video=&bn=A00114&term=2023&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y and another source for the bill here https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/A114 Here is an informative article about this bill https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-york-lawmakers-file-amended-psychedelics-legalization-bill-with-new-regulations-and-protections/
The only disappointing thing about this bill is one would have to wait until they’re 21 to partake of the medicines. Under 21 not allowed. Would be nice if 18 year olds could do it! A lot of young 18, 19 and 20 year olds are ready for this rite of passage but they will have to go to South America until they are 21 before they can be in these ceremonies in the states, IF this bill passes.
Most states are putting the plant medicines only in doctors’ and therapists’ hands, taking the medicine away from the shamans, and leaving out the shamanic and spiritual use of these medicines. According to www.ICEERS.org, there have been more shamans arrested for these medicines than ever in 2022. There have also been massive confiscations of ayahuasca at customs. This is a tragedy!
It is important that the ancient traditions are preserved. This should not always have to be in a clinical setting. Some people are not interested in this being a clinical experience. They want to experience authentic shamans and real ceremonies the way they have been conducted for thousands of years.
For people who want a clinical experience, it is good that this is possible. Some people won’t feel safe unless it’s a clinical setting. However, for those who don’t want a clinical setting and want to experience a traditional ceremony, this should be available too.
There is a lot of talk about infusing Western medicine into the ancient shamanic practices, but for those who want to experience the ancient formats, legalizing these medicines should not leave out the indigenous cultures where these medicines have been used much longer than laws against them even existed. So far they have been excluded until this bill came into being.
Let’s not take this away from the indigenous! It is fine that there will be Western medicine practices with the medicines, and people who are attracted to those will go that route, but we must honor the indigenous practices and the shamans too! It’s only fair!
CLINICAL USE OF THE MEDICINES
There is another bill by Democrat Pat Burke in New York for legalization of clinical use of the medicine. The two bills are separate so they have a better chance of passing and also addressing separately the two different modes of using these medicines. This will guide clinical use of the medicines for doctors and therapists. To see Bill 3581 (or A03581) https://legiscan.com/NY/text/A03581/2023 Here is an informative article about the bill. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-york-lawmaker-files-bill-to-legalize-medical-psilocybin-treatments-with-focus-on-first-responders-and-veterans/
CONCLUSION
Yay New York! Viva New York!
Thank you for making this possible for the medicines to be used in religious and shamanic formats, and including the ancient practices! There will be people who use the medicines recreationally or without shamanic training, of course, but at least this way real shamans and authentic ceremonies will be possible too, finally!
We have been watching the laws in the states for a long time, waiting for the moment when shamans could offer these traditional ceremonies in the states (we’re not into the covert, hiding, or the underground risks of offering it!), but nothing in any state has made it legal for the shamans before now to offer medicines in traditional ceremonial formats. Everyone doing it up to now has been risking it.
This is truly a step in the right direction! Shamans will finally be able to offer this in the USA if this bill by Rosenthal passes because shamans don’t do the clinical thing. This is about ancient traditions with real shamans being preserved and offered. New York will be the first state that makes this legally possible! Thank you New York! Pray for the passing of these bills!
NOTE: There is also a lawsuit from the Arizona Yage Assembly challenging the DEA to give religious exemptions that the DEA has never given, even though it was supposed to since the 2006 Supreme Court decision for Santo Daime and Unidad de Vegetal churches to be allowed to offer these sacraments in their religious services. Other churches have applied, but none have been given exemption under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA). Any church that has applied has been left in limbo without an answer, or denial. https://chacruna.net/soul-quest-arizona-yage-assembly-federal-court-cases/
Finally the DEA is being challenged about this! Case text: https://casetext.com/case/ariz-yage-assembly-v-garland
Things are moving in the USA! Soon, friends, soon!
One last note: Always try to take ayahuasca with people who are replanting so it is replenished!
Christine Breese is the founder of University of Metaphysical Sciences, Gaia Sagrada Ayahuasca Retreat Center, and Free Retreats 4 All. She is an author, teacher, speaker and healer facilitating spiritual journeys in person, meditation online, through her books and articles, and also through her Christine Breese Youtube Videos. She invites every person to discover the genius-master within themselves!
