A safety-first information resource for ayahuasca in Colombia

Why safety comes first

This site exists for the reading that should happen before anyone books a ceremony. At the top of its home page is a warning that some common medications, including antidepressants, can be life-threatening in combination with ayahuasca, and the drug interactions guide is the page the site asks visitors to read before anything else. That order is deliberate. The well-being of the reader comes before the experience, the retreat and the destination.

The home page describes the material as evidence-based safety information, and the emphasis throughout is on what can go wrong and how to reduce that risk, not on what an experience might offer. There is no ceremony to sell here.

The four guides

The interactions guide is the most important page on the site. It lists medications and substances that can cause life-threatening reactions when combined with ayahuasca, with particular attention to antidepressants, stimulants and psychiatric medications. It does not tell anyone whether to participate. It gives them a list to take to a doctor first.

Each guide can be read on its own, but they share one assumption: a reader who knows the risks in advance is better placed than one who discovers them during a ceremony.

• Safety Guide: before, during and after a ceremony in Colombia
• Drug Interactions: medications and substances that can cause dangerous reactions
• Preparation: what to do before a ceremony
• Legal Status: where ayahuasca stands in Colombia

What the site is not

Colombia Ayahuasca provides general informational content only. It does not constitute medical advice, does not recommend ceremonies, facilitators or doses, and does not replace a conversation with a qualified healthcare professional, which the site asks every reader to have before making decisions about medications or about participating. Anyone in crisis should contact emergency services immediately.

It is also not part of the retreat industry. The site is not affiliated with any retreat center, and the guides are written to be read before choosing one, not to choose for you.

What is coming

The home page announces a vetted retreat directory as coming soon. Until it appears, the four guides are the whole of the site, and the interactions guide is the place to start. Questions and corrections can be sent through the contact page.