This was originally published on The Third Wave – you can read the original article here.

The past few months has seen an explosion of research into the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca, the traditional psychoactive brew used by indigenous South American peoples for generations. It’s now looking highly compelling that doses of the plant-based drink have antidepressant qualities, and could also be used to combat addiction and PTSD.

Earlier last year, the announcement that scientists had discovered a potential mechanism for ayahuasca’s antidepressant properties was met with great anticipation. Researchers reported that under laboratory conditions several compounds found in ayahuasca could encourage the growth of new brain cells. Since that announcement, we’ve been excited about getting our hands on the full study!

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This article was originally written for The Third Wave.

The tragic death of Jake Cawte near Adelaide in Australia had only barely hit the press before the finger was pointed at ayahuasca.

Jake was shot by his twin brother Luke at their family home, using one of their father’s weapons. Despite Luke’s previous issues with mental health, it was their brief encounter with ayahuasca that has, without any basis in fact, been blamed for this act of violence.

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