[Mb-civic] Religious Use of Psychedelic Tea Is on Supreme Court's Front Burner

[Reeeees at aol.com]

Good thing they have big questions to wrestle with . .  .
 
Religious Use of Psychedelic Tea Is on Supreme  Court's Front Burner
>From Associated  Press

November 2, 2005  |  Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON  — The Supreme Court debated Tuesday whether to let a small 
congregation in New  Mexico worship with hallucinogenic tea, the first religious 
freedom dispute  under Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor  seemed skeptical of the Bush administration's 
claim that the tea can be banned,  but she may not be around to vote in the case.

About 130 members of a  Brazil-based church have been in a long-running 
dispute with federal agents who  seized their tea in 1999. The hoasca tea, which 
contains an illegal drug known  as DMT, is considered sacred to members of O 
Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao  do Vegetal.

The Bush administration contends the tea is not only illegal  but potentially 
dangerous.

The Supreme Court has dealt with religious  drug cases before. Justices ruled 
15 years ago that states could criminalize the  use of peyote by American 
Indians. But Congress changed the law to allow the  sacramental use of peyote in 
tribal services.

O'Connor pointed out during  Tuesday's argument that Congress changed the 
rules. She interrupted the Bush  administration lawyer in his opening statement 
and peppered him with difficult  questions. 
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