Inside the US’s psychedelic church boom, where taking drugs is legal

Psylocybin mushrooms in a humidified monotub in the basement of a private home in Connecticut on 24 December 2023. Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images

The Church of Gaia in Spokane, Washington, has all the makings of a traditional place of worship: regular gatherings, communal songs and member donations – except they also serve ayahuasca, a psychedelic substance that can induce nausea and, at times, projectile vomiting.

“This is a purely spiritual practice,” said Connor Mize, the ceremonial leader of the Church of Gaia. “It’s not a thing you do just for fun.”