ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a series of reflections on the therapeutic potential of the ritual use of ayahuasca in the treatment and handling of substance dependence problems. It reviews anthropological and psychiatric data on the ritual use of ayahuasca for 'healing' dependence in psychotherapeutic centers as well as in ayahuasca religions. The chapter discusses methodological, ethical and political considerations for current and future research in this area. The chapter discusses Santo Daime and the Unio do Vegetal, the two largest ayahuasca religions. It outlines the interdisciplinary questions that should be considered for an agenda for future research into the use of ayahuasca in the treatment and handling of dependence problems. Current research into the use of ayahuasca in the treatment of substance dependence should be contextualized with respect to the interrupted tradition of psychedelic and psycholytic therapies that were developed from the 1950-1970s. The chapter reviews evidence of how ritual ayahuasca use is employed in South America, psychotherapeutic Amazonian rehabilitation centers.
