Allison is the principal attorney at Hoots Law Practice PLLC, where she provides legal advice in corporate, employment, intellectual property law. She has unique experience advising churches on incorporation, operation, and legal compliance in the ceremonial use of psychedelic sacraments and pursuant to the right to religious exercise, such as consistent with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Allison is also President & on the Board of Directors of Sacred Plant Alliance, an association of churches dedicated to the advancement of the ceremonial use of psychedelic sacraments within the United States. In addition, Allison is on Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines' Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants. Allison is the lead author of Chacruna’s Guide to RFRA & Best Practices for Psychedelic Plant Medicine Churches.
The legalities of religious use of psychedelics in America
In recent years, the medical model has reigned supreme over dialoague, legislation, and funding of psychedelics in America.
And yet, there exists another uniquely American route to the legal use of psychedelics: religious practice, protected by the First Amendment.
A patchwork of federal legislation and judicial precedents, including the unanimous UDV vs. USA Supreme Court ruling in 2006, uphold the ability to use psychedelics within sincere religious contexts.
However, the existing legal affirmations were very hard-won for their petitioners, and there exists much gray area in determining to whom and how they apply, and much risk for group seeking clarity.
In this session, we will consider the legal relationship between religious freedom and spiritual practices that use psychedelics.
