Trippy Tea Turns Deadly: American Tourist Dies After Drinking Ayahuasca In Amazon
An American tourist died after drinking a powerful hallucinogenic tea during a spiritual retreat in Peru's Amazon.
An American tourist's quest for spiritual enlightenment in the Peruvian Amazon ended tragically when he died after consuming ayahuasca, a potent hallucinogenic brew traditionally used in indigenous rituals in parts of Central and South America.
41-year-old Alabama resident Aaron Wayne Castranova participated in a shamanic ceremony at La Casa de Guillermo ICONA, a hostel in Loreto known for offering 'spiritual tourism" experiences. During the ritual, he ingested ayahuasca, which led to a multi-organ failure resulting in his death last Sunday.
Located deep in Peru's northeastern Amazon basin, Loreto is a remote jungle region accessible only by air or river. Its capital, Iquitos, is the largest city in the world unreachable by road and the quickest way to get there from Lima is via a nearly two-hour flight. The region's isolation has made it a magnet for spiritual tourism.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Narciso López told British news outlet Daily Mail that Castranova suffered from multiple organ failure, pleural effusion, and acute pancreatitis. It is believed that the interaction between ayahuasca and antibiotics he was taking, information he allegedly did not disclose, may have contributed to the fatal outcome.
Ayahuasca is a traditional South American brew made from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the Psychotria viridis leaf. The latter contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a powerful hallucinogen. While DMT is classified as a Schedule I drug under the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the plants used to make ayahuasca are not regulated under this convention. However, many countries have national laws that control or prohibit the use of DMT and ayahuasca, according to Addictioninfo.com.
A blogpost by the ClevelandClinic said that though some individuals seek ayahuasca for its purported mental health benefits, such as alleviating depression and PTSD, the brew carries significant risks. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate and hallucinations.
More severe reactions can involve anxiety, paranoia and in rare cases, death. A survey cited in the blog pointed out that while only 2.3% of users required medical attention for physical side effects, about 56% reported negative mental health impacts in the weeks following consumption.
The Alabaman's case reminds one of earlier tragedies in Peru involving foreign tourists. In 2012, 18-year-old Kyle Nolan from California died after taking ayahuasca at a shamanic retreat; his body was secretly buried by the shaman. Two years later, British teenager Henry Miller died in Colombia after a similar ritual involving yagé, a variant of the brew.
First Published:
June 07, 2025, 20:19 IST
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