For inquiries regarding the utilization of ethnobotanicals, or in case you are experiencing an adverse situation or difficulty integrating and experience, please read this page. For inquiries regarding legal support , please read this page.
On July 8, an online seminar entitled “Perspectives on integration from ICEERS’ El Faro” was held, organized by our foundation. More than a hundred people from different countries registered to hear the voices of El Faro’s integration team, made up of David Londoño, Gerónimo Tejedor, and Mijal Schmidt, and moderated by Cristina Sánchez, head of the service.
2025 ICEERS Many ayahuasca users report challenging experiences—yet some are linked to better mental health PsyPost, 4 July 2025 ‘People pay to be told lies’:
A new ICEERS report estimates the number of people drinking ayahuasca worldwide and analyzes fatalities reported by the media.
What is the situation of Cannabis Social Clubs in Europe? The European Journal of Criminology has recently published a study, conducted by Dr. Mafalda Cardal and Tom Decorte, in collaboration with ICEERS’ Deputy Director, Òscar Parés, to provide an accurate picture and in-depth understanding of this growing phenomenon across the old continent.
In most parts of the Global South, traditional healers outnumber mental health workers, making up the health care system that local people have access to and trust. In a recent article, published in the Health and Human Rights Journal, José Carlos Bouso (ICEERS Scientific Director) and Constanza Sánchez (Law, Policy & Human Rights Director) address the need to include traditional healing practices in the global mental health agenda.
Last week, mass media outlets spread the news that the known ex-pornography actor Nacho Vidal was arrested by the Civil Guard for alleged involuntary manslaughter. The events took place on July 28, 2019 in the
World Ayahuasca Conference Free Online Micro-Event A year ago, from May 31-June 2, 2019, the world’s ayahuasca community gathered in the city of Girona for the third edition of the World Ayahuasca Conference (AYA2019), the
Science and economic, social and cultural rights: what place do master plants have in the framework of freedom of research and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress?
The term “natural psychoactive drugs” (NPDs) comprises a great variety of animals, plants, cacti, and fungi, traditionally used in ritualistic contexts all over the world, whose consumption has increased dramatically in the last few decades. In order to study the patterns of use, the desired effects and the mental health status of individuals who make use of them, ICEERS conducted a detailed research through an online questionnaire that was answered by 564 NPD users from 52 different countries. The results have recently been published in the journal Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy.
According to ICEERS associate researcher Débora González, grief is a form of love – it is the price paid for love. As we let go, of a person or of something held near and dear to our hearts, we grieve. It’s a natural and necessary process, not only for adapting to stressful times but also for personal growth and enrichment. And, while death may be the end of life from a biological perspective, what we’ve lost continues to exist after death, through our memories, thoughts, and even in our genes.
The question of how to offer help to indigenous and other Amazonian communities who don’t have access to medical and economic supports that may be available to those in North America and Europe is answered by two words: solidarity and generosity.
What are the subjective effects of ibogaine that can lead to healthier habits? A new study conducted by ICEERS’s research team contributes to a better understanding of the role ibogaine plays in psychotherapeutic and other processes.
Starting this week, the Science and Innovation area of the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service (ICEERS) will conduct a scientific study on the psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the effects that confinement measures have on the population.
Is the ayahuasca community prepared to face the stressful situation resulting from the COVID-19 crisis? José Carlos Bouso, scientific director of ICEERS, reflects on the issue based on a study they conducted on ayahuasca and public health.
Alex Polari, a respected leader within the Santo Daime, began his talk at the 2019 World Ayahuasca Conference by commenting on the importance of the event in relation to the study of consciousness and the human spirituality.
The study of people without previous experience in ayahuasca ceremonies allows us to overcome this limitation and to clearly see what happens after a first contact with this practice.
ICEERS’ Science & Innovation department conducted a longitudinal study in which a sample of about 70 patients with chronic diseases using cannabis as a treatment for their symptoms was followed for 12 months.
Annual report by the Ayahuasca Defense Fund: learn more about how we’ve been offering moral, technical, and other support to defendants in 56 legal cases.
Jeffrey Bronfman was the lead plaintiff and legal strategist of the União Do Vegetal’s (UDV) successful legal action to secure its right to the religious use of its sacrament in the United States.
We’ve launched a 30-day crowdfunding campaign and are asking for your support!
The purpose of the Iboga/ine Community Engagement Initiative is to engage with the global community to crowdsource opinions and ideas about what an ideal future looks like for iboga and ibogaine in global society.
Here is a list of the podcasts of the lectures on medical cannabis held at the Medical College of Barcelona on May 2018. An event organized by Cannabmed.
At the 2019 World Ayahuasca Conference, the Union of Indigenous Yagé Medics of the Colombian Amazon (UMIYAC) presented a panel on the topic of what yagé and spirituality means to the Amazonian indigenous people of
Can ayahusca help reduce the symptoms of grief? According to a study recently published in the journal Psychopharmacology, ayahuasca – also known as the “vine of the soul” within the Peruvian indigenous Shipibo healing system – can help people who are grieving the loss of a loved one, significantly reducing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. Benefits lasted for up to a year following the retreat.
