A few days ago, Bolivian Senator Silvia Salame requested in the Chamber of Senators the consideration of “Bill No. 010/2024-2025 C.S., which declares the Wachuma, Ayahuasca, as well as its uses and associated knowledge, and protection and conservation of medicinal plants, as tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Plurinational State of Bolivia”. Many of the reactions generated in different actors have reflected ignorance of the subject, its importance and potential for health.
The encounter between ancestral knowledge and modern research opens horizons for mental health.
Approximately 30 years ago, a growing interest in the therapeutic use of ayahuasca and other entheogenic plants recognized by Andean and Amazonian ethnopharmacology was unleashed in the main research centers and universities of the global north. Renowned universities and research centers, from Imperial College London to the University of São Paulo, are conducting studies exploring the capacity of these compounds to rewire brain circuits and alleviate psychic suffering. (Dos Santos et al, 2016).
The knowledge that was outlawed since the time of the extirpation of idolatry is now being recovered from the disciplines and perspectives of modernity and science. Ancestral practices with ayahuasca and other entheogens of Andean and Amazonian ethnopharmacology are being addressed in academic forums and specialized clinics, in a scenario marked by the progressive deterioration of global mental health indicators.
According to the World Health Organization, hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by mental health disorders. Depression, in particular, has become one of the main causes of disability, while anxiety and stress have also increased significantly during the pandemic. A situation that is even more worrying when it is recognized that most of those affected do not receive the necessary care.
Possibilities for an Inclusive and Respectful Science in Bolivia
Recent studies are not limited to quantifying changes in biomarkers or mapping neural trajectories. There are areas of contemporary science that recognize the importance of open and multidisciplinary methodologies that integrate qualitative narratives and testimonies. Several studies recognize ayahuasca as a catalyst for self-reflection, capable of reconfiguring thought patterns and opening new routes of emotional resilience. A look that translates into practices that invite introspection, dialogue between mind and spirit and reconnection with cultural roots. The Amazonian and Andean peoples have generously shared knowledge that today is put to the test in laboratories and mental health centers, however, they do not have a space for interlocution in which their knowledge is echoed. In this disproportionate relationship, it is important to open channels of convergence of ancestral methods and modern studies, not to erase, not to usufruct, not to appropriate traditions, but to understand in their complexity the potentials of ethnopharmacology in mental health, recognizing the importance of respect between different forms of knowledge, at a time when humanity needs it.
The modern scientific perspective, which is sometimes presented as cold and reductionist, yields to the demand for holistic approaches. Recent research has shown that the study of the therapeutic effects of sacred plants cannot be separated from their cultural and spiritual context. Results published in specialized journals support these claims, highlighting how, in some contexts, entheogen-assisted therapy produces substantial improvements in psychic well-being (Barbosa et al., 2012).
The knowledge and practices inherited from Andean and Amazonian peoples encapsulate a worldview where nature, spirit and health are part of an integral whole. This worldview, inherited from generations, is abundant in diversity and richness in Bolivia, and could show how entheogen therapies can also strengthen reciprocity with the earth and deep respect for all forms of life.
The context of clandestinity and its risks to Bolivian health
A quick scan of social networks and the online offerings landscape reveals a notable presence in Bolivia of entheogen-assisted ceremonies from Andean and Amazonian ethnopharmacology, designed to address psychological and spiritual issues. This is the availability of ceremonies involving substances such as Ayahuasca and San Pedro that are presented without a formal framework of control based on evidence. This phenomenon, fueled by the growing global mental health crisis, poses a challenge to the state and its health institutions in terms of regulation and oversight.
In this context, there is a clear need to establish a system for regulating the use of entheogens that focuses on public health and, at the same time, respects the rights of peoples in terms of the recognition of their cultural traditions and the protection of their health.
Overcoming Prejudices to Open New Paths
It is inevitable that, in the face of the unknown, prejudices and misgivings arise. However, the evidence invites us to look beyond exoticism and to evaluate these treatments for their therapeutic value. The use of entheogens is not presented as a panacea, but as a resource aimed at combating the disorders that sicken our society. The invitation is to abandon stigma, confront one's own preconceived ideas and rigorously explore the potential benefits of these ancestral practices in a scientific and ethical context.
The richness of Andean and Amazonian ethnopharmacology lies not only in ancient rituals, but also in the promise of new answers to current problems. This call, based on serious studies and cultural experience, invites us to question the established and to open a field where ancestral knowledge and modern research dialogue in a relationship of mutual respect for the greater good.
Readers-from spiritual leaders and research professionals to health and safety authorities-are invited to explore these alternatives with an open mind, to inform themselves through serious sources, and to participate in initiatives that promote the integration of knowledge. This synergy can pave the way for complementary therapies that respect both scientific evidence and the cultural and spiritual richness of indigenous peoples.
References used:
- World Health Organization. (2022) World Mental Health Report. Transforming Mental Health for All. Available at https://www.who.int/es/news/item/17-06-2022-who-highlights-urgent-need-to-transform-mental-health-and-mental-health-care#:~:text=Los%20trastornos%20mentales%20son%20la,veces%20por%20enfermedades%20f%C3%ADsicas%20prevenibles.
- Dos Santos, RG, Osório, FL, Crippa, JA, Riba, J. , Zuardi, AW and Hallak, JE ( 2016 ) Antidepressant, anxiolytic and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic investigation review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years . Available at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00237
- Barbosa, P. C. R. et al. (2012). Research on ayahuasca and its therapeutic implications.
- Bibliographic review of ayahuasca and its therapeutic use. Peruvian Journal of Integrative Medicine. Available at https://rpmi.pe/index.php/rpmi/article/view/251
- Source:Ayahuasca, willka and wachuma on the table (of the Bolivian legislative debate) | Urgentebo
