Supreme Court to Hear Appeal on Hallucinogenic Tea

[emad]

By James Vicini

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Monday it would decide whether the federal government must allow the U.S. branch of a Brazilian-based religion to import a hallucinogenic tea for use as a sacrament.

The high court agreed to review a U.S. appeals court ruling that said the government could not prohibit the sacramental use of the tea because of a 1993 religious freedom law.

The U.S. Justice Department said that under the ruling the government must allow the importation and possession of hoasca tea for religious services, even though it contains an illegal, controlled substance that can be potentially dangerous.

Members of the religion, O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal, believe the tea is sacred and that using it connects them to God. The tea is made from two plants that grow in the Amazon.
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2005-04-18T144216Z_01_N05544750_RTRIDST_0_USREPORT-COURT-TEA-DC.XML

US Rastafarians tried to get cannabis classified as a religious tool before it was downgraded from Class B to Class C... They lost.

[Rush1184]

1. Don't they still give certain native american a hard time over peyote?

Why the sudden change of heart?

[Bob3]

2. If you read the headline fast it you might think the Court

was going to hear an appeal while tripping.
That could be interesting.
"It would please the court if counselor for the government did not keep turning into a sheep with bat wings"
"Bleat, Your honor, Bleat"
"Wow trails man"
"Will Justice O'Connor just shut the hell up."

And so on.

[atommom]

3. That's priceless!

:rofl:

[loudsue]

4. EEEwwww! Scalia on hallucinogenics....

What a bad trip THAT would be!

:kick:

[xchrom]

5. clarence on hallucenogens -- even worse...

[Moderator]

6. kick to combine

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. US church's illegal tea faces ban

18 April, 2005, 21:54 GMT

The Supreme Court is to consider whether a US branch of a Brazilian religion can import an hallucinogenic tea used as a sacrament.

An appeals court ruled the sacramental use of the tea cannot be banned because of a 1993 religious freedom law.

The hoasca tea which comes from the Amazon contains an illegal substance that can pose health hazards.

But adherents of the O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal religion say the tea connects them to God.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4458873.stm

Warning: This stuff is not your grandma's cup of Earl Grey.

[benburch]

8. Contains Harmaline aka Telepathine

First isolated in 1914...

[emad]

14. Telepathine...the stuff that let's you know what the bastards are

thinkin????

[benburch]

15. No, but you might think you can. nt

[emad]

17. "Are you thinking what we're thinking" - Tory Party election slogan

Maybe they're all at it....

[dweller]

9. heres a good source on info

http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/ayahuasca/ayahuasca.shtml

dp

[On the Road]

10. Allen Ginsberg Loved This Stuff

but he had to go to the rainforest to get it. It's kind on amazing that the drug laws go out of their way to prohibit plants that are not native and are this unusual.

[Atlas Mugged]

11. Oh, it's just Yage'.

From all the other names I thought it was something new that had somehow escaped my attention. This is the tea that natives drink and puke their guts out while tripping. It's been shown on basic cable a thousand times. I can remember National Geographics back in the 60's with the ritual in it.

[leesa]

12. I say the Supremes have been drinking far too much of it.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

13. Oh, time for tea n/t

[lovuian]

16. The Book on DMT the Spirit Molecule You should read it!!!

Interesting the Government wants to control acess to something
thats been done for years!!!