An American tourist has reportedly died after drinking hallucinogenic herbal tea during an ayahuasca session in Peru.
The 41-year-old man, said to be from Alabama, died in Santa María de Ojeal in the Loreto region of the Amazon Rainforest on 2 June, reported local outlet Canal N Peru.
Narciso López, coordinator of the Forensic Medicine Department in Loreto, told Canal N that the American suffered multiple organ failure with complications including pleural effusion and acute pancreatitis shortly after consuming the psychoactive brew.
Autopsy testing at the central morgue in Iquitos will determine the official cause of death, said Lopez.
According to Canal N, the tourist had not reported taking antibiotics at the time of ingesting ayahuasca.
It is thought that mixing ayahuasca with antibiotics can create an adverse reaction.
The outlet added that the ayahuasca ceremony took place at a spiritual hostel in Santa María de Ojeal.
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew prepared from the bark of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and a plant containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT), traditionally used by indigenous communities in the Amazon.
The psychoactive substance is illegal to consume in several countries, including the US.
Many tourists try the drug in South America, often marketed to travellers as a “ceremonial” or “spiritual cleanser”.
In January 2025, the US Embassy in Peru issued a health alert warning tourists not to “ingest or use traditional hallucinogens, often referred to as ayahuasca or kambo”.
It said: “Ayahuasca can cause several negative health effects, including nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and even death. Some of the long-term effects include psychosis, difficulty sleeping, neurological diseases, and ongoing hallucinations.
“In 2024, several U.S. citizens died or experienced severe illness, including mental health episodes, following consumption of ayahuasca.”
The Independent has contacted the US Embassy in Peru for comment.
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