Is Ayahuasca legal in Indonesia?
- Legal status
- In Indonesia the ayahuasca brew is treated as DMT with no religious carve-out: N,N-dimethyltryptamine (Dimetiltriptamina) is a Golongan I narcotic under Narcotics Law No. 35 of 2009 with no permitted therapeutic use, so any DMT-containing preparation such as ayahuasca is a prohibited Golongan I substance.
- Consequences if caught
- Producing, importing, possessing or trafficking the ayahuasca brew is a Golongan I narcotics offence carrying severe penalties, up to the death penalty for large-scale trafficking; there is no religious-use exemption.
- If prescribed or medical
- Golongan I narcotics including DMT have no lawful medical or prescription use in Indonesia, so ayahuasca cannot be prescribed or dispensed.
- Documentation
- Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics classifies DMT as a Golongan I substance in its annex; no exemption exists for the ayahuasca preparation.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Indonesia’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →