Ian Benouis, Co-Founder, Church of Psilomethoxin
Greg Fonzo, Co-Director, Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin
Alex Dominguez, Texas State Representative
Amy Rising, Veteran Healthcare Advocate
Ethan Rocke, Journalist (moderator)
As Shulgin and Shulgin (1991) have argued, ethics dictate that the researcher her- or himself be the first to ingest a novel, putative psychotropic drug, and that subsequent human testing be conducted only with fully-informed volunteers advised as to the identity of the compound, its dose, and the nature of effects already experienced.
Over 44 veterans per day (16,060 per year) take their lives daily by suicide, as they are unable to reintegrate back into society, scarred by the horrors of war and violence. They suffer from trauma, depression, anxiety, Traumatic Brain Injury, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and panic attacks, while also dealing with physical injuries. These numbers get magnified by the addition of civilian lives lost due to similar traumatic events and mental disorders, as suicide comes at the top of the leading causes of death in the U.S.
This book is a deep dive into the definition of religion under the First Amendment in light of the sacramental consumption of entheogens, the nature of the primary religious/mystical experience effectuated through the sacramental consumption of entheogens, and the ever-developing historical record evidencing world-wide use of these sacraments in ancient times.
The panel features three US military veterans, each of whom has worked for organizations that promote awareness and treatment of mental health issues among veterans, with particular emphasis on the use of psychedelic-assisted treatments. Following introductory remarks from each of the panelists, the meeting was devoted to Q&A.
Ian Benouis is a West Point graduate, former Army officer and Blackhawk helicopter pilot who participated in Operation Just Cause in the Republic of Panama.
He is patient number one, General Counsel at the Mission Within spearheading the veterans treatment program where over 350 Navy SEALS and other special operators have been successfully treated with iboga and toad (5-meo-dmt) for PTSD, addiction and TBI.
The Law of Entheogenic Churches in the United States gives its reader a foundational understanding of the law surrounding the legality of ayahuasca and other entheogenic-based churches in the United States.
The book covers the following topics:
Chapter One: The Religious Freedom And Restoration Act
Chapter Two: Claims and Defenses under the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act: A Case Law Survey
Chapter Three: DEA’s Regulation of Entheogenic Churches
Chapter Four: General Guide to Forming a Non-Profit Church
Chapter Five: Frequently Asked Questions
The Law of Entheogenic Churches in the United States was written in laymen’s terms so the average reader can understand and acquire a foundational understanding of the law in this area. This book discusses the Supreme Court precedent involving the ayahuasca religion UDV and the Oregon District Court opinion involving the ayahuasca religion of the Santo Daime.
As ayahuasca and other natural entheogenic medicines gain popularity as a religious sacrament, this area of the law will become increasingly relevant. In this book, author George G. Lake, Esq. imparts the necessary knowledge needed to navigate this area of law.
The Law of Entheogenic Churches in the United States gives its reader a foundational understanding of the law surrounding the legality of ayahuasca and other entheogenic-based churches in the United States.
The book covers the following topics:
Chapter One: The Religious Freedom And Restoration Act
Chapter Two: Claims and Defenses under the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act: A Case Law Survey
Chapter Three: DEA’s Regulation of Entheogenic Churches
Chapter Four: General Guide to Forming a Non-Profit Church
Chapter Five: Frequently Asked Questions
The Law of Entheogenic Churches in the United States was written in laymen’s terms so the average reader can understand and acquire a foundational understanding of the law in this area. This book discusses the Supreme Court precedent involving the ayahuasca religion UDV and the Oregon District Court opinion involving the ayahuasca religion of the Santo Daime.
As ayahuasca and other natural entheogenic medicines gain popularity as a religious sacrament, this area of the law will become increasingly relevant. In this book, author George G. Lake, Esq. imparts the necessary knowledge needed to navigate this area of law.
When a soldier brings back trauma from the battlefield, there’s no single reliable way to help them integrate back into society. Everybody needs a different approach. For Ian Benouis, he rediscovered the power of plant medicines after his exit from the military and as he was working his way through law school. It led him on a path to introduce other veterans to plant medicines by organizing trips for them and as a lawyer activist working with a number of plant medicine organizations and churches.
What does it take to start and operate an entheogenic church legally? Today we are joined by two attorneys involved in legitimizing entheogenic churches: Greg Lake and Ian Benouis! Both local Texans and servants of the plant medicine movement in America, they come from different backgrounds and offer unique insight into the legal process behind […]
Ian Benouis 