Supreme Court allows church's hallucinogenic tea

[dbackjon]

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that adherents of a small Brazilian-based religion practicing in New Mexico may continue to use a hallucinogenic tea. The court rejected arguments by the Justice Department that the communion ritual undermines federal anti-drug law.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington ... -tea_x.htm

The court broadly interpreted the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act, intended to protect people from U.S. laws that appear to be neutral but can impinge on sacramental practices. (Related item: Opinion:Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao Do Vegetal)

Chief Justice John Roberts said in his opinion for the court that Congress sought "a workable test for striking sensible balances between religious liberty and competing ... governmental interests."

The religious society, O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao do Vegetal, known as UDV, is a Christian Spiritist sect with origins in the Amazon rainforest.

[Ivytalk]

A rare 9-0 opinion! Attaboy, John!