A landmark publication exploring the Indigenous use of controlled plants and fungi in Aotearoa and beyond will be officially launched at the Psychedelic Therapy in Aotearoa national gathering 29-20 March 2025 in Auckland.
The report, titled Indigenous Use of Controlled Plants and Fungi: Cultural Practices and Policy Considerations, highlights the historical and contemporary role of psychedelics in Indigenous healing and cultural traditions. It provides key insights into how these substances have been used in spiritual and therapeutic contexts and examines the evolving legal and policy landscape surrounding their use in a wide range of jurisdictions and the international agreements that have dominated domestic drug policy since the early 20th Century.
Key Findings:
- Indigenous communities have long utilised controlled plants and fungi for medicinal, spiritual, and social purposes, contributing to holistic well-being and important community practices.
- Current drug laws in New Zealand do not adequately recognise the cultural and therapeutic significance of these substances for Indigenous practitioners.
- International case studies demonstrate a range of risks and benefits of incorporating Indigenous organisms that would otherwise be controlled drugs into regulatory frameworks.
- Indigenous rights frameworks and the growing scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of certain psychedelic substances derived from Nature have not sufficiently influenced drug policy in most countries and states. Some promising examples are profiled in the report.
Recommendations:
- National and international policy reforms are urgently needed to acknowledge and protect Indigenous rights to use controlled plants and fungi for cultural and therapeutic purposes.
- Regulatory frameworks that integrate Indigenous perspectives into psychedelic therapy research and practice should be established.
- Further research into the intersection of Indigenous knowledge and modern psychedelic science will support safe and ethical use, as will parallel regulatory pathways that are controlled by Indigenous communities and established alongside of, rather than within state-controlled legislation.
- Community-led initiatives should be supported to ensure Indigenous voices shape discussions around policy and healthcare implementation.
The report was written by a team of researchers from Aotearoa New Zealand and international experts:
- Jena-Rose Astwood is a researcher focused on Indigenous integrated solutions to today’s social and environmental challenges. She presented at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in 2024 on Indigenous psychedelic mushrooms in the context of protecting native species from appropriation. The theft and suppression of plant species used by Indigenous Peoples was a recurring theme throughout CND.
- Kenzi Riboulet-Zemouli is a French-Algerian independent researcher working in the areas of policy, international law, and controlled drugs. Mr Riboulet-Zemouli is a global leader in public policy relating to Cannabis and other plants and fungi, bridging traditional and contemporary health practices. His research interests include sustainable development, human rights, biopiracy and biodiversity law, ethics, terminology, and transnational drug history. He is an accredited observer at the UN and its specialised agencies, including the World Intellectual Property Organization and the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
- Manu Caddie is an entrepreneur and researcher focused on integrating the rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Rights of Nature with biotechnology research and commercialisation. Mr Caddie’s work with Indigenous landowners and iwi, hapū and marae around Aotearoa focuses on utilising indigenous organisms in pharmaceuticals, ingredients development and regulatory pathways for IP. As part of his role with the Tū Wairua initiative, he recently published a companion discussion document outlining the problems with government regulation of taonga species classified by the state since 1975 as prohibited plants and controlled drugs.
- Dr Jacek Kolodziej is passionate about harm reduction as a way to improve people’s health and wellbeing. He moved to Aotearoa seven years ago to pursue his doctoral studies on HIV prevention and has an extensive background in health research and policy. In both sexual health and substance use areas, his focus is on policies that enable equitable access to effective prevention and support. At the New Zealand Drug Foundation, he works on a range of policy issues spanning from drug law reform to influencing system policies to improve access to harm reduction for all people who use drugs in Aotearoa.
- Dr Tehseen Noorani trained and taught in anthropology, psychology, sociology, socio-legal studies, epidemiology, and science and technology. At the University of Auckland, he is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Pharmacy and leads the project, ‘Community Strategising about Psychedelic Therapy in Aotearoa’ (CSaPTA) and also convenes the international, multi-disciplinary, ‘Reimagining Psychedelic Trials’ working group. Dr Noorani is the coordinator of the Psychedelic Therapy in Aotearoa national gathering this weekend.
Some of the co-authors of the report will be present at the national gathering to discuss the report’s implications and next steps for advocacy, research, and policy reform.
“This report is a crucial step towards a better understanding of what drug law reform can look like when it recognises and respects Indigenous rights and regulatory systems around the use of plants and fungi for healing and well-being,” said Manu Caddie, co-author of the publication. “It is time for New Zealand to consider a more inclusive approach to drug policy, particularly as it pertains to indigenous species that Māori have the right to utilise.”
The Psychedelic Therapy in Aotearoa gathering brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy in New Zealand. The report launch will be a key event, fostering dialogue on Indigenous rights, mental health, and drug policy reform.
