20 Comments
Jan 16, 2023Liked by Ioan Grillo

Great read first time hearing about this substance I'm going to read the article a second time.

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Thanks much for reading. Yes, it's an interesting issue - and and interesting practice.

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Jan 16, 2023Liked by Ioan Grillo

How do they justify the arrest if there is now law against it?

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So they have them being charged for having DMT which is illegal in Mexico due to signing a 1971 drug treaty. Ayahuasca contains some DMT but the INCB clarified that the treaty doesnt include it. Lets see what the judge says!

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Jan 16, 2023Liked by Ioan Grillo

Thanks looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

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Jan 16, 2023Liked by Ioan Grillo

Have all arrests made been from Ayahuasca in paste form? My Shaman has had no problems bringing the raw vines in through CDMX Customs for quite a few years...

Thanks for the info!

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Thanks for the comment. I believe they are in both paste and liquid - I am not sure about pure plant. But that was not a problem for many years bringing in liquid and paste of ayahuasca. All best there friend.

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Aug 31, 2023Liked by Ioan Grillo

I'm currently researching potentially starting a non profit for support and defense of healers like this. Ayahuasca shipibo healers save my life and I am called to help indigenous tribes facing injustice. This is medicine, pure and simple. And a good ayahuasca shaman is, in most cases, a hero. If you have any resources you can point me to that may help, please do. I didn't find an email to contact you directly

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Hi Nick, sure feel free to shoot me a mail about this. It's ioangrillo@hotmail.com

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I fear this is a signal of greater incompetence by the overall Mexican government in tackling the drug war. Not that I had any great faith in them anyways. But if they are all of a sudden going to start going after indigenous people and substances like ayahuasca(which I have personally benefited by) then it only signals to me that this drug war is going to get worse before it gets better. On a semi related note, we just had a "cartel style" execution of 6 people including a baby here in California yesterday in a small town called Goshen in the Central Valley. Appears to be drug related and police have said it is either gang or cartel related or maybe both. I have been hearing experts for the last few years talk about the potentials for violence becoming more brazen north of the border in the years to come. The US government really has to get their act together, I fear we are quickly heading into even more dangerous territory. God bless.

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Thanks again for this comment. Because of it, I wrote up a story on the case. All best there Roberto!

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I read and glad you wrote about it. Im amazed at how quickly it slipped out of the media spotlight. I hope there will be resolution soon. All the best there Ioan. Thanks for doing what you do!

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Thanks for pointing it out. Yes, if they don't catch those guys that is a blow to law enforcement. Keep in touch.

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Hi there Roberto. Thanks much for the great insight. And thanks for the heads up about the masacre in Goshen. I will try and look into that asap. Best there.

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Jan 17, 2023Liked by Ioan Grillo

Fentanyl is a product of legitimate pharmaceutical research and has revolutionized anesthesiology. Janssen pharmaceuticals never "peddled" it heavily, it fits a medical niche very nicely and to my knowledge was never marketed outside of that. The thousands of deaths associated with the clandestine distribution of this substance is tragic, yes, but demonizing substances as "synthetics" is simply bad journalism.

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Thanks for the comments and duly taken. Some opioids were certainly marketed very aggressively in the United States. And illegal synthetic opioids and meth are harming many people. But agreed, it does not mean all synthetic drugs are bad by any means. Thanks and best there.

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Jan 17, 2023Liked by Ioan Grillo

Thank you for your work. I recently discovered you on breaking points. I’ve clearly been unaware of these issues that you’re exposing.

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Thanks so much for reading. Keep in touch and all best there friend.

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Jan 17, 2023Liked by Ioan Grillo

Glad to see you bring attention to this issue and the upcoming ruling later in January. There is no money to be made by NOT enforcing this. Sadly, it also seems to have a hint of racism towards the darker Latino cultures. The Disengenous reply by ALMO is not surprising. It also makes me wonder if someone tipped off Mexican security forces when the arrests were made. As always, things in Mexico tend to raise more questions then answers. Thanks always for trying the shed the light of truth.

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Great insight as ever Bobby. And sadly, racism towards indigenous people could be a factor. Best there.

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