The Church of Gaia in Spokane won a rare DEA exemption—granted via petition rather than litigation—to use ayahuasca in its religious ceremonies after a nearly three-year review. Landmark RFRA rulings (starting in 2006) and recent DEA settlements in 2024–2025 have opened pathways for other psychedelic congregations, while an estimated 500+ groups still operate underground. Legal experts caution that expanding recognition beyond ayahuasca (to mushrooms, LSD or MDMA) is possible but fraught with enforcement risks and safety concerns.
Inside America’s Psychedelic Church Boom: How the Church of Gaia Won a DEA Exemption
Psylocybin mushrooms in a humidified monotub in the basement of a private home in Connecticut on 24 December 2023.Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images
The Church of Gaia in Spokane, Washington, has the trappings of a traditional congregation—regular meetings, communal song and member donations—but it also conducts ayahuasca ceremonies, a sacramental use of a powerful psychedelic brew that can cause intense nausea and purging.
How the Church Secured an Unusual Exemption
In a first-of-its-kind administrative victory, the Church of Gaia won a DEA exemption by petition rather than through litigation. After nearly three years of review, the agency concluded that the church’s use of ayahuasca would be strictly religious in nature. "This is a purely spiritual practice," said Connor Mize, the church's ceremonial leader. "It’s not a thing you do just for fun." While the church could not operate during the petition review, its approval clears the way for members to resume sanctioned ceremonies.
Legal Background and Recent Trends
The legal pathway for psychedelic sacraments stretches back to a pivotal 2006 ruling under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). That case followed a seizure of roughly 30 gallons of ayahuasca and set a precedent requiring the government to meet a high standard before restricting sincere religious practices. Similar victories and recent DEA settlements in 2024 and 2025 have broadened the options for faith communities seeking legal protection.
"There is more of an openness now to granting these exceptions, to entering into settlements," said Sean McAllister, an attorney who specializes in psychedelic law. "Part of it is because they’ve lost every time they’ve litigated the case."
Scope of the Movement
Experts estimate more than 500 psychedelic churches operate across the United States, many formed in the last five to seven years. Between fiscal year 2016 and January 2024, the DEA received petitions from 24 organizations seeking similar exemptions. Some groups have secured protections by negotiating settlements with the agency, while others continue to litigate or operate underground.
Plans, Practices and Practical Challenges
With formal authorization in hand, the Church of Gaia plans to expand its capacity: leaders say they will seek visas for Peruvian teachers and build a circular, mat-filled structure for hours-long ceremonies where members drink ayahuasca, sing traditional Amazonian songs and sometimes purge as part of the ritual.
Enforcement Risks and the Singularism Case
Not every group has been so fortunate. In Utah, Bridger Jensen’s Singularism church was raided last November after an undercover officer posed as a prospective member; police confiscated psilocybin and charged Jensen. Using Utah’s state RFRA, Singularism halted the criminal case, recovered seized material and secured permission to operate while the legal dispute continues. If that case succeeds, it could extend recognition beyond ayahuasca to psilocybin-based religious practice.
That possibility carries both hope and peril. Some underground congregations use a broader range of substances—LSD, MDMA and newer compounds such as 2C-B—and some claim multiple sacraments, which raises complex legal questions about how courts might treat multi-sacrament practices. Ceremonies can also be expensive: Singularism charges up to $1,400 per round, according to its founder.
What Comes Next
Legal observers say current administrative and judicial trends, together with a political emphasis on religious freedom, may make additional exemptions more likely. Still, attorneys and leaders warn that not all attempts will succeed and that imitation without careful legal and safety safeguards could lead to arrests and legal liability.
As more Americans move away from traditional denominations and toward alternative spiritual practices, psychedelic churches are pressing the boundaries of religious liberty in the U.S. Their growth raises urgent questions about regulation, public safety and how the law balances faith-based conscience with drug-control policy.
