The church initiated the lawsuit against the DOJ, DEA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in June 2022. It alleged that these agencies violated its religious freedom by preventing the use of ayahuasca, a Schedule I drug, in its practices.
DOJ Ayahuasca Church $2.2M Fees : Settlement Details
In April, the CEC reached a settlement with the federal government, allowing the church to “import, receive, manufacture, distribute, transport, securely store, and dispose of ayahuasca solely for CEC’s religious purposes.” The agreement prohibits the use of ayahuasca for nonreligious purposes.
The church must maintain records of the ayahuasca quantities and permit DEA inspections and audits.
Fee Request and Government’s Rebuttal
In June, the church requested $2.2 million in fees, claiming complete victory and deserving an appropriate bonus for its attorneys’ efforts. However, the government argued that the attorneys’ hours and rates were unreasonable. The DOJ noted that the attorneys included duplicative and ineligible work and based their rates on out-of-forum standards rather than Arizona’s.
