The U.S. Embassy in Peru has warned travelers not use a potent hallucinogenic brew often referred to as ayahuasca or kambo after several deaths in 2024.
Ayahuasca use has grown in popularity after celebrity endorsements from four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and podcast host Joe Rogan, among others. Ayahuasca contains dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, a powerful, fast-acting hallucinogen illegal in the U.S.
The embassy said DMT is often marketed to travelers in Peru as “ceremonial” or “spiritual cleansers.”
The embassy gave list of reasons to avoid the DMT brew.
“Ayahuasca can cause several negative health effects, including nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and even death,” according to an alert from the embassy. “In 2024, several U.S. citizens died or experienced severe illness, including mental health episodes, following consumption of ayahuasca.”
Ayahuasca ceremonies don’t always take place near hospitals, Embassy officials noted.
“These incidents often occur in remote areas near or within the Peruvian Amazon, far away from modern medical facilities,” it said. “The limited connectivity and limited access to emergency services and hospitals increases the risks.”
The Embassy said other problems also have been associated with ayahuasca ceremonies.
“Aside from the negative health effects, U.S. citizens in Peru have also recently reported being sexually assaulted, injured, or robbed while under the influence of these dangerous substances at ‘healing’ or ‘retreat’ centers,” it said. “Facilities or groups offering ayahuasca/kambo are not regulated by the Peruvian government and may not follow health and safety laws or practices.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said DMT use dates back several hundred years and is associated with religious practices and rituals.
“The onset of DMT effects is very rapid but usually resolves within 30 to 45 minutes,” according to a fact sheet. “Psychological effects include intense visual hallucinations, depersonalization, auditory distortions and an altered sense of time and body image.”
