Americans travel to Kentucky to try 'spiritual enlightenment' drug A growing number of Americans are trying a hallucinogenic drug called ayahuasca, in a quest for spiritual enlightenment. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT RITUAL TO VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. CHRISTIN MORA HAS SPECIAL REPORT. REPORTER: YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF AYAHUASC IN CONNECTION TO A RETREAT IN CENTRAL OR SOUTH AMERICA OR PERHAPS YOU'VE SEEN CELEBRITIES TRY AND IN A QUEST FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH. IN THE U.S., THE DRUG IS LEGAL IN CERTAIN STATES IF IT IS TIED TO A RELIGIOUS PURPOSE. KENTUCKY IS ONE OF THOSE STATES. INSIDE A CITY OF ABOUT 12,000, THIS NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH IS ALMOST HIDDEN, TUCKED AWAY IN A MOBILE HOME PARK. BUT VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY DON'T MIND THE MODEST ACCOMMODATIONS. THEY ARE HERE FOR SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER. >> A LOT OF WHAT HAPPENS, WE CAN'T EXPLAIN. THERE'S NO FURNITURE THAT ACCURATELY -- VERBA THAT ACCURATELY DESCRIBES A CEREMONY. REPORTER: STEVEN HUPP IS THE SELF-PROCLAIMED MEDICINE MAN OF AYA QUEST IN KENTUCKY. HE WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO AYAHUASC WHILE SERVING TIME IN PRISON. >> LIFETIMES O TRAUMA, BEING ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, AND HEAL IT. REPORTER: HUPP MAKES THE AYAHUASCA HIMSELF USING PLANTS FROM HAWAII AND SOUTH AMERICA. HE'S DOING ALL THIS LEGALLY BECAUSE KENTUCKY' LAW LINES UP WITH A FEDERAL RULING THAT ALLOWS THE DRUG TO BE USED AS A SACRAMENT BY REGISTERED NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCHES. AYAHUASCA LOOKS LIKE TEA AND EVERY USER HAS A DIFFERENT WAY OF DESCRIBING ITS EFFECTS. ALL OF THE QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED. WHAT EVER WANT TO CALL THE SPIRITUAL ENERGY TOOK ME DOWN A DARK, SUFFOCATING PLACE. SEEMS LIKE I WAS 3000 FEET BELOW THE EARTH. >> IT IS LIKE HEARIN SOME DESCRIBE THEIR DREAMS. FOR TH INDIVIDUAL, IT IS INCREDIBLE. REPORTER: O PARTICIPANT SAYS HE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC UNTIL TRYING AYAHUASCA. ANOTHER SAYS HE'S NO LONGER ADDICTED TO HEROIN. I BELIEVE IT TAKES AWAY THAT WANT, THEN DESIRE. REPORTER: AYAHUASC CONTAINS A PSYCHEDELIC COMPOUND CALLED DMT, WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AS A SCHEDULE ONE DRUG IN THE U.S., THE MOST DANGEROUS LEVEL. LSD, O WHEN, AND ECSTASY ARE ON THAT LIST. WHILE THESE USERS CLAIM SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT, DOCTORS SAY IT CAN BE DEADLY. >> DANGEROUSLY HIGH TEMPERATURES, DANGEROUSLY HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, SEIZURE, AND DEATH. REPORTER: CONSUMING AYAHUAS CAN PROMPT IMMEDIATE VOMITING OR STOMACH TROUBLE. >> MANY PATIENTS DO FINE, BUT I' AWARE OF ALL THE ORGAN SYSTEM EFFECTS THAT CAN BE JUST QUITE PROBLEMATIC. REPORTER: DESPITE THE RISKS, A GROWING NUMBER OF AMERICANS CONTINUE TO TRY AYAHUASCA, MANY SEARCHING FOR TH A-HA MOMENT.

SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS Get local stories sent straight to your inbox as news breaks. Submit Privacy Notice