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Supreme Court takes drug case tied to peyote use
Tuesday, April 19, 2005

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether a religious group based in New Mexico can use a hallucinogenic tea that is considered an outlawed drug.

The O Centro Espírita Beneficiente União do Vegetal, or UDV, says its use of the hoasca tea is protected. The group compares itself to the Native American Church, which is allowed to use peyote, also on the outlawed drug list.

NAC leaders have protested the comparison. The Bush administration also rejected the link and wants UDV to stop bringing the tea into the U.S.

Get the Story:
Supreme Court to Decide Whether Church Can Import Drug (The Washington Post 4/19)
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Supreme Court to Hear Case of Dispute Over Religious Group's Use of Banned Drug (The New York Times 4/19)
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Church Tea Goes to High Court (The Albuquerque Journal 4/19)
Hallucinogenic tea case will be heard by Supreme Court (AP 4/19)

UDV Decisions:
En Banc (November 12, 2004) | Panel (September 4, 2003) | Federal Judge (September 12, 2002)

Peyote Decision:
State of Utah v. Mooney (June 22, 2004) (7/12)

Relevant Links:
Uniao do Vegetal - http://www.udv.org.br
Ayahuasca - http://www.ayahuasca.com/

Related Stories:
Supreme Court reviews case compared to peyote (04/14)
Religious group wins case tied to peyote use (11/16)
Navajo Nation peyote, meth legislation on hold (11/11)
Navajo bill clarifies use of peyote on reservation (10/12)
U.S. may prosecute Native American Church figure (08/31)
Non-Indian peyote case could head to Supreme Court (08/16)
Ruling allows non-Indians to use peyote in Utah (06/23)
Utah Supreme Court hears arguments in peyote case (11/5)
Utah 'medicine' man at center of court battles (08/26)
Peyote limited to recognized U.S. Natives (5/7)
Peyote against tea dispute heats up (1/24)
Case compared to Native American Church (10/30)
Peyote use disputed in Utah (5/18)
Man prevented from using peyote (5/10)
'Medicine man' settles lawsuit (3/30)
Peyote: For Indians Only? (1/8)
Peyote raid raises questions (7/17)
The Peyote Exemption (7/17)
Police seize peyote

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