Overview

• Aaron Wayne Castranova, 41 and from Alabama, collapsed and died Monday after consuming ayahuasca in the Loreto region of the Peruvian Amazon.
• The regional prosecutor’s forensic pathologist, Narciso Lopez, concluded that the hallucinogenic brew caused a catastrophic multi-organ failure.
• The ceremony took place at a hostel in Santa Maria de Ojeda, a community that has seen a surge in unregulated spiritual tourism retreats.
• UK travel advice for Peru warns that ayahuasca ceremonies can lead to serious illness, long-term health issues and sexual assault in remote areas.
• Last October, British mother Maureen Rainford also died after drinking ayahuasca at a retreat in Bolivia, highlighting ongoing safety concerns.