Letter by the secretary of the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board
to the chief of the Inspectorate for Health Care of the Dutch Ministry of Public Health. 

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Date: 17 January 2001

" Dear Mr. Lousberg,

I would like to refer to your fascimile of 20 december 2000 concerning the
traditional use of controlled substances, in particular the use of a
preparation called "ayahuasca" by religious groups in the Netherlands.

The above mentioned issue was consulted by the INCB Secretariat with the
Scientific Section and the Legal Advisory Section of the United Nations
International Drug Control Programma (UNDCP). It is our understanding that
"ayahuasca" is the common name for a liquid preparation (decoction) for
oral use prepared fromk plants indigenous to the Amazon basin of South
America, essentially the stem bark of different species of a jungle vine
(Banisteriopsis sp.) and the tryptamine-rich plant Psychotria Virides.
According to the scientific literature, ayahuasca commonly contains a
number of psychoactive alkoloids, including DMT which is a substance
included in Schedule I of the the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances

No plants (natural materials) containing DMT are at present controlled
inder the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Consequently,
preparations n(e.g.decoctions) made of these plants, including ayahuasca
are not under international control and, therefore, not subject to any of
the articles of the 1971 Convention.

                                         Yours sincerely,
                                         Herbert Schaepe
                                         Secretary of the Board

Remarkable isn't it?