I asked AI to compile a list of Ayahuasca related Deaths in the last 50 years to try and understand if Ayahuasca was dangerous or not. The short answer is Ayahuasca is not usually dangerous in and of itself but you do need to take care choosing a Shaman or retreat center and fully understanding the possible health complications for example, low blood pressure (causing dizziness) or unsafe contraindications related to the combination of pharmaceutical medications and Ayahuasca Tea.
Henry Miller (2014, Colombia)
Details: A 19-year-old British teenager died in the Colombian rainforest after participating in an ayahuasca ceremony.
Cause of Death: His death was officially ruled as accidental due to intoxication. However, there’s a suggestion that his death might have been partly due to scopolamine, which was possibly in the brew or given separately.
Analysis: While ayahuasca was involved, the direct cause might have been an interaction with another substance or inappropriate handling post-ceremony, resulting in a head injury during transport to medical help.
Matthew Dawson-Clarke (2015, Peru)
Details: A 24-year-old New Zealander died during an ayahuasca retreat in the Iquitos region.
Cause of Death: Initially linked to ayahuasca, but subsequent reports clarified that he died from nicotine poisoning after a tobacco purge, a common practice in some ayahuasca rituals.
Analysis: The death was not directly due to ayahuasca but an associated ritual involving tobacco, which can lead to fatal nicotine poisoning if not managed properly.
Kyle Nolan (2012, Peru)
Details: An 18-year-old from California died at a spiritual retreat.
Cause of Death: The shaman confessed to giving an excessive dose of ayahuasca, leading to Nolan’s death. His body was buried to avoid bad publicity.
Analysis: This is one of the few cases where ayahuasca itself appears to have been the direct cause due to overdose, though the exact circumstances and medical oversight are unclear.
Unais Gomes (2015, Peru)
Details: A 26-year-old British tourist was killed by another participant, Joshua Stevens, during an ayahuasca retreat.
Cause of Death: Stabbed, not related to ayahuasca ingestion. Toxicology showed Gomes had ayahuasca in his system, but Stevens did not.
Analysis: This was a case of homicide, not a drug-related death. The ayahuasca was incidental to the event.
Jane Maiangowi (2001, Canada)
Details: A 71-year-old Canadian woman died after an ayahuasca ceremony in Ontario.
Cause of Death: Although she consumed ayahuasca, her death was due to nicotine poisoning; she was diabetic and had ceased her medication for the ceremony.
Analysis: The death was linked to the cessation of diabetes medication and the high nicotine content in the brew, not the psychoactive components of ayahuasca.
Alfonso Geovani D’Rose (2016, Peru)
Details: Found dead in his room following an ayahuasca ceremony.
Cause of Death: Speculated to have collapsed and hit his head, or possibly choked on vomit or ingested another substance.
Analysis: Not directly attributed to ayahuasca but to potential complications or accidents post-ingestion.
Christina Melissa Jenkins (2016, Peru)
Details: Died hours after an ayahuasca ceremony.
Cause of Death: Cause remains undetermined.
Analysis: Although ayahuasca was consumed, no direct link was established between the brew and the death.
Lesley Allison (2016, Ecuador)
Details: Died from a cervical fracture resulting from convulsions induced by ayahuasca.
Cause of Death: Physical reaction to ayahuasca, leading to an accident.
Analysis: Here, ayahuasca induced convulsions which indirectly caused death through injury.
Summary Analysis
Direct Ayahuasca-Related Deaths: Kyle Nolan’s case can be directly linked to ayahuasca due to an overdose, though under questionable circumstances regarding the administration. Lesley Allison’s death could I suppose be considered due to the Ayahuasca but it depends how you look at it in my opnion.
Indirect or Related Incident Deaths: Most cases involve other factors like improper mixture ingredients, cessation of necessary medications, or accidents/incidents occurring in the context of or shortly after ayahuasca use.
Disclaimer: The data and cases discussed are based on available public records and media reports, which might not always capture the full medical or forensic detail, hence some attributions can be speculative or incomplete.
References for Ayahuasca Death Report
- Examining the Deaths Misattributed to Ayahuasca | ICEERS
- The Teen on a Gap Year Who Died After Drinking Ayahuasca | VICE
- How an ayahuasca retreat claimed the life of a 24yo Kiwi tourist in the Amazon – triple j
- British tourist murdered at ayahuasca retreat in Peru
- Can People Really Die From Drinking Ayahuasca, as Announced in the Media? – Chacruna
- Death of Matthew Dawson-Clarke a stark warning about dangers of hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca – SMH
- Ayahuasca, global consumption & reported deaths in the media – ICEERS
- Canadian man ‘murdered British tourist with ayahuasca in his system’ at Peru retreat – Independent
