Tourist boom for ayahuasca a mixed blessing for Amazon

Short supply of plant has led to uptake in commercial planting, use of dangerous alternatives and fears of deforestationSeated beneath the domed ceiling of a ceremony hall in Peru’s Sacred Valley, Martin (not his real name) picks some fruit out of the communal bowl.“Basically, I confirmed what I’ve always known anyway – plants are sentient and self-aware, far more than we realise,” he says, before biting down into an apple. Continue reading...