Tobacco/Nicotine Use Disorder (TUD)Substance Use Disorders (SUD)Public Health, Prevention & Behaviour ChangeAyahuasca

Assessment of Alcohol and Tobacco Use Disorders Among Religious Users of Ayahuasca

This survey study (n=1947) indicates an association between reduced current tobacco and alcohol use and attendance of religious ayahuasca ceremonies. Lifetime use of these substances, however, was higher in the ceremony-attending group in most age groups.

Authors

  • Luiz Tófoli
  • Michael Bogenschutz
  • Paulo Barbosa

Published

Frontiers in Psychiatry
individual Study

Abstract

The aims of this study were to assess the impact of ceremonial use of ayahuasca-a psychedelic brew containing N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carboline -and attendance at União do Vegetal (UDV) meetings on substance abuse; here we report the findings related to alcohol and tobacco use disorder. A total of 1,947 members of UDV 18+ years old were evaluated in terms of years of membership and ceremonial attendance during the previous 12 months. Participants were recruited from 10 states from all major regions of Brazil. Alcohol and tobacco use was evaluated through questionnaires first developed by the World Health Organization and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Analyses compared levels of alcohol and tobacco use disorder between the UDV and a national normative sample (n = 7,939). Binomial tests for proportions indicated that lifetime use of alcohol and tobacco was higher in UDV sample compared to the Brazilian norms for age ranges of 25-34 and over 34 years old, but not for the age range of 18-24 years old. However, current use disorders for alcohol and tobacco were significantly lower in the UDV sample than the Brazilian norms. Regression analyses revealed a significant impact of attendance at ayahuasca ceremonies during the previous 12 months and years of UDV membership on the reduction of alcohol and tobacco use disorder.

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Research Summary of 'Assessment of Alcohol and Tobacco Use Disorders Among Religious Users of Ayahuasca'

Introduction

Alcohol and tobacco use disorders remain major global public health problems, causing substantial morbidity and mortality despite a wide array of current treatments. Earlier research has suggested that ritual use of ayahuasca, a brew containing N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carbolines, may be associated with reduced substance-use problems. Small case-control and cross-sectional studies, plus some prospective and programmatic reports, have reported lower recent alcohol and other drug use among members of religious ayahuasca groups such as União do Vegetal (UDV), Santo Daime and Barquinha, although findings have been mixed and many studies were limited by small samples, heterogeneous settings and non-rigorous designs. Ramchandani and colleagues set out to extend this evidence by analysing patterns of alcohol and tobacco use and disorder in a much larger sample of UDV members drawn from 10 Brazilian states. The study compared prevalence of lifetime and current alcohol and tobacco use and substance-use disorder in the UDV sample with a national Brazilian normative survey, and examined whether recent ceremonial attendance and years of UDV membership were associated with lower likelihood of alcohol and tobacco use and disorder.

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Study Details

References (14)

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Assessment of Alcohol and Tobacco Use Disorders... — Research Summary & Context | Blossom