Psychedelics
Ayahuasca (The Brew)
Street names: Yagé, Hoasca, Daime, La Purga, Mother Ayahuasca
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- 4–6 h visionary ceremony: intense purging (vomit/diarrhea), geometric visions, emotional release
- The MAOI in the vine makes the DMT orally active
⚠Key risks
- THE DEADLY COMBINATION: vine MAOIs + antidepressants (SSRIs/SNRIs/MAOIs) or MDMA = serotonin syndrome — deaths documented at retreats
- Hypertensive crisis with tyramine-containing foods (aged cheese, cured meats) around ceremonies
- Cardiac events in vulnerable participants; deaths of healthy-seeming users reported 2015–2025
- Retreat industry is unregulated — screening and emergency readiness vary wildly
- Psychological destabilization after intense sessions ('the vine keeps working for weeks')
✚Overdose signs
- Serotonin syndrome: agitation, clonus, fever, confusion
- Severe vomiting with dehydration
- Chest pain, collapse
📋Quick facts
Also known asYagé, Hoasca, Daime, La Purga, Mother Ayahuasca
CategoryPsychedelics
Schedule / classSchedule I components (DMT) US; religious exemptions (UDV, Santo Daime); Peru/Brazil traditional-legal
AppearanceThick brown bitter tea brewed from Banisteriopsis caapi vine + DMT-containing leaves (chacruna/chaliponga)
Street priceRetreats $500–$3,500 per week; brew itself not retailed legally
Legal statusDMT = Schedule I US (religious exemptions exist); traditional use legal Peru/Brazil/Costa Rica retreats; unregulated most of EU
Last updated2026-09-18
Sources: NIDA, EMCDDA, MAPS, Poison Control
Category comparison — Psychedelics
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca (The Brew) | Schedule I components | THE DEADLY COMBINATION: vine MAOIs + antidepressants (SSRIs/SNRIs/MAOIs) or MDMA = serotonin syndrome — deaths documented at retreats; Hypertensive crisis with tyramine-containing foods (aged cheese, cured meats) around ceremonies | Retreats $500–$3,500 per week |
| DMT (dimethyltryptamine) | Schedule I | Psychological distress ('bad trips'); Dangerous behavior if unprepared | ~$20–$60 per 50–100 mg dose |
| San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) | Mescaline = Schedule I US; cactus legal to grow | Nausea/vomiting at onset (the cactus's slime); Same psychological risks as mescaline — panic in unprepared users | Cactus $20–$60 per cutting |
| Ibogaine (Iboga) | Schedule I | CARDIAC DEATHS — the documented killer: QT-prolongation and arrhythmia; multiple clinic deaths, often without proper ECG screening; Deaths have occurred days AFTER treatment (delayed arrhythmia) | Clinics $3,000–$10,000 per treatment |
| Yopo / Cebil (Anadenanthera Snuffs) | DMT/bufotenin controlled US; seeds legal to possess most places; Syrian rue | Syrian rue combination = MAOI — DEADLY with SSRIs and MDMA (serotonin syndrome); Severe nausea/pain at insufflation; mucosal damage from repeated snuffing | Seeds $10–$30 per 100 g |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does Ayahuasca (The Brew) look like?
Thick brown bitter tea brewed from Banisteriopsis caapi vine + DMT-containing leaves (chacruna/chaliponga)
What are the signs of a Ayahuasca (The Brew) overdose?
Serotonin syndrome: agitation, clonus, fever, confusion; Severe vomiting with dehydration; Chest pain, collapse Call emergency services immediately.
How addictive is it?
THE DEADLY COMBINATION: vine MAOIs + antidepressants (SSRIs/SNRIs/MAOIs) or MDMA = serotonin syndrome — deaths documented at retreats Dependence can develop with regular use.