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Page Number: 9

4 

GONZALES v. O CENTRO ESPIRITA BENEFICENTE 
UNIAO DO VEGETAL 
Opinion of the Court 

hoasca  (pronounced  “wass-ca”),  a  sacramental  tea  made 
from two plants unique to the Amazon region.  One of the 
plants,  psychotria  viridis,  contains  dimethyltryptamine
(DMT),  a  hallucinogen  whose  effects  are  enhanced  by 
alkaloids from the other plant, banisteriopsis caapi.  DMT, 
as  well  as  “any  material,  compound,  mixture,  or  prepara-
tion,  which  contains  any  quantity  of  [DMT],”  is  listed  in 
Schedule  I  of  the  Controlled  Substances  Act.  §812(c),
Schedule I(c).

In 1999, United States Customs inspectors intercepted a 
shipment to the American UDV containing three drums of 
hoasca.  A  subsequent  investigation  revealed  that  the 
UDV  had  received  14  prior  shipments  of  hoasca.  The 
inspectors seized the intercepted shipment and threatened 
the UDV with prosecution. 

The  UDV  filed  suit  against  the  Attorney  General  and 
other  federal  law  enforcement  officials,  seeking  declara-
tory  and  injunctive  relief.    The  complaint  alleged,  inter 
alia,  that  applying  the  Controlled  Substances  Act  to  the 
UDV’s sacramental use of hoasca violates RFRA.  Prior to 
trial, the UDV moved for a preliminary injunction, so that 
it  could  continue  to  practice  its  faith  pending  trial  on  the 
merits. 

At  a  hearing  on  the  preliminary  injunction,  the  Gov-
ernment  conceded  that  the  challenged  application  of  the 
Controlled  Substances  Act  would  substantially  burden  a
sincere  exercise  of  religion  by  the  UDV.    See  O  Centro 
Espirita  Beneficiente  Uniao  do  Vegetal  v.  Ashcroft,  282 
F. Supp.  2d  1236,  1252  (NM  2002).    The  Government 
argued,  however,  that  this  burden  did  not  violate  RFRA, 
because  applying  the  Controlled  Substances  Act  in  this 
case  was  the  least  restrictive  means  of  advancing  three 
compelling  governmental  interests:  protecting  the  health 
and  safety  of  UDV  members,  preventing  the  diversion  of 
hoasca from the church to recreational users, and comply-
ing  with  the  1971  United  Nations  Convention  on  Psycho-