El marco jurídico que rodea a la ayahuasca en Portugal resulta complejo y se encuentra lleno de matices. No en vano, refleja un debate global más amplio sobre la intersección de las prácticas tradicionales, la libertad religiosa y la política de drogas. La historia de la ayahuasca en el país luso se ha visto influida por la globalización, la migración y la evolución de las actitudes hacia los psicodélicos y las formas alternativas de sanación. Un dictamen jurídico exhaustivo publicado recientemente, escrito por Ana Sofia Machado Ferreira, Francisco Quelhas Lima y Armando Rocha, examina a fondo el marco jurídico que rodea a la ayahuasca en Portugal y analiza sus implicaciones en contextos religiosos y ceremoniales.

La claridad constituye un requisito primordial a la hora de navegar por el panorama legal de la ayahuasca en cualquier país. Aunque las leyes existentes en Portugal ofrecen algunas protecciones para fines religiosos y ceremoniales, persisten las incoherencias y los desafíos. El país puede establecer un marco legal que respete la tradición, defienda los derechos individuales y acoja el potencial transformador de la ayahuasca en la sociedad. A medida que evoluciona el panorama jurídico y cultural, es imperativo que la legislación apoye la diversidad cultural, honre la sabiduría indígena y se dedique a la justicia y la inclusión.

Claridad jurídica sobre la ayahuasca en Portugal

La Fundación Transform Drug Policy contempla más allá del uso de sustancias psicodélicas para uso meramente terapéutico, analizando cómo configurar las políticas y la regulación de estas sustancias fuera del campo médico. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

Recent explorations into the science of psychedelics and their therapeutic potential have fuelled a rapidly expanding discussion on their role in society. Yet, while attention has been focused on their medical use, non-medical use — particularly in recreational settings — has been marginalised in the public debate. 

This guide from Transform Drug Policy Foundation aims to address this gap and help inform emerging developments at this critical moment in psychedelic policy evolution. It maps out how the classic psychedelics can be responsibly legally regulated in a postprohibition world, making concrete proposals for a four-tiered regulatory framework: 

Private use, including home cultivation, foraging and not-for-profit sharing 

Membership-based not-for-profit associations 

Flexible licensing models for production and retail sale 

Regulation of commercial guided or supervised use 

Drawing on Transform’s more than two decades of experience in global drug policy analysis and advocacy, this guide sets out recommendations for establishing a just and effective system of legal regulation, addressing challenging questions in the debate including corporate capture mitigation, equity, Indigenous rights, psychedelic exceptionalism, and international treaty law.

Cómo regular las sustancias psicodélicas: Guía práctica

Aunque el proyecto de ley aún requiere aprobación del gobernador, la promulgación del Senado supone un paso importante hacia la promoción de un acceso seguro y regulado a sustancias psicodélicas en California. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

The California state Senate on Thursday gave its final approval to a bill to legalize certain naturally occurring psychedelics including “magic mushrooms.” The measure now heads to the desk of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has not yet indicated if he will sign the bill into law.

, was introduced by San Francisco Democrat Scott Wiener in December 2022. After receiving approval from the California Senate in May, 

 with amendments by the State Assembly on Wednesday. The Senate passed the amended version on Thursday by a vote of 21-14.

If signed by the governor, Senate Bill 58 would legalize the personal possession, cultivation and use of the natural psychedelics dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline (except for peyote), and psilocybin and psilocin, the primary psychoactive ingredients in “magic mushrooms,” by adults aged 21 and older. Supporters of the legislation say that the bill would facilitate therapeutic access to the drugs, which have been shown to have the potential to treat a variety of serious mental health conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder, 

, depression and substance misuse disorders. The bill caps the possession of mescaline at four grams, while the limit set for DMT, psilocybin and psilocyn is one gram.

“This is a well-crafted, targeted bill to stop criminalizing people who are using these substances, including for health purposes,” 

 on Thursday. “I’m so grateful to my colleagues for their support, and I look forward to making the case to the governor that the bill deserves his signature.”

El Senado de California aprueba proyecto de ley modificado para legalizar sustancias psicodélicas

Aunque la legalización de las sustancias psicodélicas es un paso positivo hacia la reforma de políticas mundiales referidas a drogas, ésta no debe hacerse a expensas de las comunidades indígenas, que vienen utilizando plantas psicoactivas para la curación emocional, física y espiritual desde hace siglos. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

 to decriminalize psychedelics including psilocybin mushrooms, DMT, ibogaine, LSD, and MDMA. The legal changes reflect a growing awareness in the world of Western medicine about the 

. A number of recent studies have found substances like 

 to be beneficial for issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, and state and local governments around the country have recently made efforts toward decriminalizing or outright legalizing plant-based psychedelics.

However, psychedelics as healing agents isn’t a new concept. For centuries, Indigenous people have used psychoactive plants in ceremonies for emotional, physical, and spiritual healing. Native American tribes Indigenous to the U.S. have primarily 

 in these contexts, while tribes in South America have worked with other plants like 

Decriminalization would mean police could no longer arrest people for possessing or using these substances — but the assumption that this would be a positive thing for Indigenous communities belies the issue’s history and complexity.

La presión para legalizar las sustancias psicodélicas ha ignorado a las comunidades indígenas

Auditorio Museo Nacional —Carrera 7 #28-66 / Bogotá, Colombia.

Este evento organizado por la Corporación Acción Técnica Social y sus proyectos terceros, reúne expertos nacionales e internacionales de la sociedad civil, representantes de gobiernos y ante todo jóvenes profesionales dispuestos a plantear nuevos abordajes que promuevan la creación y actualización de políticas públicas, prácticas de intervención, programas y estrategias en el tema de drogas para Colombia, Latinoamérica y el mundo.

Para la quinta edición 2023, Semana Psicoactiva estará enfocada en abordar temáticas del debate actual como los avances de la política internacional, la regulación de los mercados de drogas, el uso de los psicodélicos en la salud mental, los avances tecnológicos frente a los análisis de sustancias, así como las nuevas estrategias de reducción de riesgos y daños en sustancias legales como la nicotina.

Dado que la entrada es gratuita y el cupo limitado, la participación en la Semana Psicoactiva se confirmará mediante respuesta que usted dé al correo electrónico que enviaremos una semana antes de iniciar el evento.

Semana Psicoactiva 2023 - Conferencia internacional de innovación y política de drogas

La ONUDD ofrece una visión general de los mercados de drogas y los retos relacionados con la salud, la degradación del medio ambiente y los conflictos. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

For the first time since its conception, this year the World Drug Report consists of two products, a web-based element and a set of booklets. The latest global, regional and subregional estimates of and trends in drug demand and supply are presented in a user-friendly, interactive 

 include key takeaways and policy implications, 

 takes the form of an executive summary based on analysis of the key findings of the online segment and the thematic

 and the conclusions that can be drawn from them. In addition to providing an in-depth analysis of key developments and emerging trends in selected drug markets, including in countries currently experiencing conflict, booklet 2 focuses on a number of other contemporary issues related to drugs.

Informe Mundial sobre las Drogas 2023

El OEDT arroja luz sobre las nuevas tendencias, retos e implicaciones políticas del consumo de drogas en Europa hasta finales de 2022, revelando una amplia disponibilidad de sustancias y una mayor necesidad de servicios de reducción de daños. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

European Drug Report 2023: Trends and Developments

 presents the EMCDDA’s latest analysis of the drug situation in Europe. Focusing on illicit drug use, related harms and drug supply, the report contains a comprehensive set of national data across these themes and key harm-reduction interventions.

This page draws on the latest data available to provide an overview of the current situation and emerging drug issues affecting Europe, with a focus on the year up to the end of 2022. The analysis presented here highlights some developments that may have important implications for drug policy and practitioners in Europe.


An analysis of the supply-related indicators available on the commonly used illicit drugs in the European Union suggests that availability remains high across all substance types. On this page, you can find an overview of drug supply in Europe based on the latest data, supported by the latest time trends in drug seizures and drug law offences, together with 2021 data on drug production and precursor seizures.


Drug supply, production and precursors – the current situation in Europe

Cannabis remains by far the most commonly consumed illicit drug in Europe. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of the drug situation for cannabis in Europe, including prevalence of use, treatment demand, seizures, price and purity, harms and more.


Cannabis – the current situation in Europe

Cocaine is, after cannabis, the second most commonly used illicit drug in Europe, although prevalence levels and patterns of use differ considerably between countries. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of the drug situation for cocaine in Europe, including prevalence of use, treatment demand, seizures, price and purity, harms and more.


Cocaine – the current situation in Europe

Amphetamine, methamphetamine and, more recently, synthetic cathinones are all synthetic central nervous system stimulants available on the drug market in Europe. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of the drug situation for synthetic stimulants in Europe, including prevalence of use, treatment demand, seizures, price and purity, harms and more


Synthetic stimulants – the current situation in Europe

MDMA is a synthetic drug chemically related to the amphetamines, but with somewhat different effects. In Europe, MDMA use has generally been associated with episodic patterns of consumption in the context of nightlife and entertainment settings. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of the drug situation for MDMA in Europe, including prevalence of use, seizures, price and purity and more.


Heroin remains Europe’s most commonly used illicit opioid and is also the drug responsible for a large share of the health burden attributed to illicit drug consumption. Europe’s opioid problem, however, has evolved over the last decade in ways that have important implications for how we respond to problems in this area. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of the drug situation for heroin and other opioids in Europe, including prevalence of use, treatment demand, seizures, price and purity, harms and more.


Heroin and other opioids – the current situation in Europe

The market for new psychoactive substances is characterised by the large number of substances that have appeared in this area and that new compounds continue to be detected each year. On this page, you can find an overview of the drug situation for new psychoactive substances in Europe, supported by seizure data and information from the EU Early Warning System on substances detected for the first time in Europe. New substances mentioned include synthetic cannabinoids, hexahydrocannabinol, synthetic cathinones, new synthetic opioids, benzimidazole opioids.


New psychoactive substances – the current situation in Europe

Alongside the more well-known substances available on illicit drugs markets, a number of other substances with hallucinogenic, anaesthetic, dissociative or depressant properties are used in Europe: these include LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, ketamine, GHB and nitrous oxide. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of the situation regarding these substances in Europe, including seizures, prevalence and patterns of use, treatment entry, harms and more.


Other drugs – the current situation in Europe

Despite a continued decline in injecting drug use over the past decade in Europe, this behaviour is still responsible for a disproportionate level of health harms. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of injecting drug use in Europe, including key data on prevalence at national level and among clients entering specialised treatment, as well as insights from studies on syringe residue analysis and more.


Injecting drug use – the current situation in Europe

People who inject drugs are at risk of contracting infections through the sharing of drug use paraphernalia. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of drug-related infectious diseases in Europe, including key data on infections with HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses.


Drug-related infectious diseases – the current situation in Europe

Drug-induced deaths are those that are directly attributable to the use of drugs. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of drug-induced deaths in Europe, including key data on overdose deaths, substances implicated and more.


Drug-induced deaths – the current situation in Europe

Opioid users represent the largest group undergoing specialised drug treatment, mainly in the form of opioid agonist treatment. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of the provision of opioid agonist treatment in Europe, including key data on coverage, the number of people in treatment, pathways to treatment and more.


Opioid agonist treatment – the current situation in Europe

Harm reduction encompasses interventions, programmes and policies that seek to reduce the health, social and economic harms of drug use to individuals, communities and societies. On this page, you can find the latest analysis of harm reduction interventions in Europe, including key data on opioid agonist treatment, naloxone programmes, drug consumption rooms and more.


Harm reduction – the current situation in Europe

Informe europeo sobre drogas 2023: Tendencias y desarrollos

El MDMA y la psilocibina se considerarán drogas de la lista 8, lo que permitirá su prescripción de psiquiatra. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

Australia has become the first country to recognise psychedelics as medicines, after the Therapeutic Goods Administration took researchers by surprise and approved the psychedelic substances in magic mushrooms and MDMA for use by people with certain mental health conditions.

MDMA and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, will be considered schedule 8 drugs - meaning they’re approved for controlled use when prescribed by a psychiatrist - from July this year after the TGA acknowledged there were few other options for patients with specific treatment-resistant mental illnesses.

The changes will allow MDMA to be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. They will still be considered prohibited substances - or schedule 9 drugs - for all other usages.

Australia se convierte en el primer país que reconoce los psicodélicos como medicamentos

Celidwen et al. sugieren un marco para considerar relaciones más respetuosas entre las instituciones occidentales y las medicinas psicodélicas indígenas, con vistas a resistir el extractivismo y la comercialización. Más información, en inglés, está disponible abajo.

By Yuria Celidwen, Nicole Redvers, Cicilia Githaiga, Janeth Calambás, Karen Añaños, Miguel Evanjuanoy Chindoy, Riccardo Vitale, Juan Nelson Rojas, Delores Mondragón, Yuniur Vázquez Rosalío, Angelina Sacbajá

The resurgence of Western psychedelic research and practice has led to increasing concerns from many Indigenous Nations regarding cultural appropriation, lack of recognition of the sacred cultural positioning of these medicines, exclusionary practices in research and praxis, and patenting of traditional medicines. Indigenous voices and leadership have been notably absent from the Western psychedelic field currently widely represented by Westerners. An Indigenous-led globally represented group of practitioners, activists, scholars, lawyers, and human rights defenders came together with the purpose of formulating a set of ethical guidelines concerning traditional Indigenous medicines current use in Western psychedelic research and practice. A global Indigenous consensus process of knowledge-gathering was engaged which identified eight interconnected ethical principles, including: Reverence, Respect, Responsibility, Relevance, Regulation, Reparation, Restoration, and Reconciliation. A summary of the work is presented here with suggested ethical actions for moving forward within Western psychedelic research and practice spaces.

Psicodélicos