What is ayahuasca As Brit mum dies after ingesting drug-laced tea in vacationer hotspot

Going on holiday is supposed to be a release from the mundane everyday slog – but how did this one British mum’s well-deserved break end is such tragedy?

Maureen Rainford, 54, from Romford, decided to book a £800 ten-day ‘dream retreat’ to get a break from her demanding social worker job all while nourishing her curiosity for travelling the world.

But instead of coming back with a new lease of life from the ‘spiritual’ Amazon trip, Maureen tragically died after drinking a drug laced tea – a psychedelic known to have been taken by the likes of Prince Harry and a list of Hollywood stars.

READ MORE: What is methanol poisoning? As six tourists die from ‘laced-shots’ in holiday hotspot

READ MORE: Inside Laos’ substance problem as 20p meth tablets ‘cheaper than beer’

After just 10 minutes of drinking ayahuasca tea – that is an illegal Class A drug in the UK and US amongst other countries – Maureen started to feel unwell at the San Pedro Pisatahua Retreat in the Bolivian Amazon where she paid to stay.

Concerns continued to grow before the mum-of-three’s breathing ‘plummeted’ where she then proceeded to collapse at the ‘wellness’ commune.

Just an hour later, the mum-of-three would never gain consciousness again.

So what really is ‘ayahuasca’, how does the psychedelics effect our brains and bodies, what celebs have been known to take it and why did Maureen die from it?

What is ayahuasca?

Ayahuasca is a psychedelic – a type of drug that alters the perception of someone’s reality that can cause visual and audio hallucinations.

Many people take these as what they experience can feel like an ‘escape from reality’ with users often believing they are expanding their consciousness.

There are a lot of different psychedelics, many are natural to the world – like the plant-based ayahuasca. Despite it being considered as a Class A in the UK, US and many other parts of the world, it’s generally legal in its native South America.

The hallucinogenic is thought to be used for medicinal, spiritual and ceremonial purposes in the likes of Bolivia – where Maureen had gone to visit for the retreat.

Ayahuasca contains DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) and MAOIs (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors), which are two psychedelics found in Amazonian native plants concocted for the beverage.

Some people think that drinking ayahuasca-infused tea, that is made boiling from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine (DMT) and Psychotria viridis leaves (MAOIs), can provide life-altering health benefits.

But, that’s not always the case.

How does ayahuasca affect you?

Despite ayahuasca being illegal in many Western countries, it has become increasingly popular in the US as some notable famous faces have noted the supposed psychedelic’s mental ‘healing’ properties.

But, can ayahuasca really ‘heal’ psychological suffering? Well, that is most certainly disputed. Although what is most definite, is that it does alter your mood and perception of reality – and this isn’t always a good thing.

Not only does it impact your brain, it, of course, can have a bout of physical effects too – including vomiting and diarrhoea – which are seen as part of the ‘spiritual’ ceremony in many parts of the Amazon.

To shed some light on ayahuasca and the bodily reaction, Dr Lawrence Cunningham, of Help&Advice, told us: “Psychedelics like ayahuasca primarily affect the serotonin receptors, which play a role in mood, imagination, and perception.

“From my observations, these substances can lead to profound changes in thought patterns and emotional states. They also increase communication between different brain regions, which can result in a sense of interconnectedness or ego dissolution.

“Ayahuasca contains something referred to as DMT and MAOI, which together induce powerful hallucinogenic effects.

“From what I have seen, this combination can lead to altered states of consciousness, affecting perception, mood, and cognition significantly.

“Physically, ayahuasca can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea, which are often seen as part of the purging process. I’ve observed that these physical reactions can be intense and are a crucial aspect of the ayahuasca ceremony.”

While ayahuasca is a traditional brew consumed in the Amazon that is believed, by some, to have a number of health benefits – like easing symptoms of anxiety and depression – it can be really dangerous.

After Maureen’s death, the real impacts of ayahuasca are being brought to light, which include complications from pre-existing conditions and extreme paranoia.

The medical professional warned: “Ayahuasca can indeed be dangerous if not used responsibly, especially without proper supervision. I’ve seen cases where pre-existing health conditions or interactions with medications have led to severe complications.

“The psychological effects can also be overwhelming, leading to anxiety or paranoia.

“I have seen growing interest in the potential therapeutic benefits of ayahuasca, particularly for mental health issues. From what I have been told, some individuals report significant improvements in depression and anxiety after ayahuasca ceremonies.

“However, in my opinion, these benefits are not guaranteed and require careful consideration and integration.”

What celebrities have taken it?

You might not have heard of ayahuasca before the news broke about the British mum’s death after drinking the tea. But, it has been growing in popularity – especially in the US.

As people are trying to find relief from the mental toll of the complexities of life away from vices like smoking and boozing, many are being drawn to plant-based and natural remedies instead.

It’s almost seen as ‘trendy’ now and an act of ‘wellness’ or ‘self-care’. Though, of course, there are plenty of unprecedented reactions from plant-based psychedelics that can do a lot more harm than good.

Prince Harry shared in his book Spare how he took ayahuasca in hopes to get some relief from the grief experienced of losing mum Princess Diana.

He wrote: “After taking ayahuasca with the proper ­people I suddenly realised – wow! – it’s not about the crying.

“It was the cleaning of the windscreen, cleaning of the windshield, the removal of life’s filters just as much as on Instagram, these layers of filters.

“It removed it all for me and brought me a sense of relaxation, release, comfort, a lightness that I managed to hold on to for a period of time.

“I started doing it recreationally and then started to realise how good it was for me, I would say it is one of the fundamental parts of my life that changed me and helped me deal with the traumas and pains of the past.”

Although, Prince Harry previously claimed that he would not recommend recreational usage but added that you should be around others if taking it.

Other notable names that have ‘experimented’ with the hallucinogenic drug include; Lindsay Lohan, NFL star Aaron Rodgers, Lindsay Lohan and Will Smith.

What happened to Brit mum Maureen Rainford?

So if ayahuasca is known to be taken by some famous faces and has been praised for ‘health benefits’, why did Maureen meet such a tragic end?

Rochel, the mum’s 32-year-old daughter, was told by a resort official that her mum suffered a “medical emergency” on the ten-day retreat.

Although there had been attempts to resuscitate Maureen after she had collapsed, the mum passed away within an hour and before any actual medical assistance could arrive.

After a post-mortem was conducted, it was ruled that she died from a heart attack. Rochel now wants to raise awareness in her mother’s memory to stop people being ‘tempted’ by a ‘glossy dream’ of remote wellness retreats.

Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Rochel said: “There should be a trained medic on standby when hallucinogenic drugs are being handed out in a remote area.

“Eric [a worker at the retreat] tried to insist that she must be cremated in Bolivia as her body would decompose, but I did not want any cover-up.”

The grief stricken daughter told the paper that after reaching out to the British consulate in Bolivia, they sent back her mum’s body. Maureen was laid to rest last week (middle of November)

Rochel urged: “I want to raise awareness about these places for people tempted by glossy brochures selling a dream.”

A representative of the resort insisted that Maureen’s death was “due to a medical emergency that was not related to Ayahuasca.”

After the sudden death of Maureen, her heartbroken friends and colleagues have set up a GoFundMe page to support her family.

But, is ‘celeb-loved’ ayahuasca really ‘life-changing’ remedy or a just tragedy in a tea cup?

Well, Dr Lawrence concluded: “If you are going to use it, I would strongly recommend doing thorough research and consulting with a GP before considering ayahuasca.”

If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Talk To Frank for free, confidential advice on 0300 1236600, texting 82111 or visiting their website, Frank