Is San Pedro cactus legal?

It is a question you may ask when you want to grow this succulent native of the  Peruvian Andes mountain range, which can be also found in the wilds of Chile, Ecuador, and Argentina. This cactus has been used in South America for thousands of years for its medicinal and cosmetic properties. Nowadays It is very popular and can be found in other countries like the United States.

San Pedro Cactus is highly appreciated by gardeners and cacti enthusiastic for being easy to care for,  its rapid growth (up to 50 cm tall per year), and the beautiful white flower it produces. In perfect conditions, it can grow up to 6 meters, it is dark green and is almost spineless. Its adaptability makes it easy to grow in all kinds of weather but is it legal to do it? Well, it depends on the laws in your country.

Is San Pedro Cactus legal?

So is San Pedro Cactus legal? As it was mentioned before, San Pedro Cactus can be found and it is completely legal in the US for cultivation and ornamental purposes. It is also legal to buy and transport it. In Canada only cultivation is legal but possession, sale, and transportation are completely illegal, just like in Germany, New Zealand, and France. In Thailand the cultivation, transport, and sale, but possession is illegal.

Australia is an interesting case, possession, sale, and transportation are completely illegal. Cultivation for ornamental purposes is illegal in Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory. However, in other Australian territories like Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales it is completely legal to grow and have a San Pedro Cactus for gardening and ornamental purposes only.

In Russia, India, Switzerland, Ireland, Brasil, Romania, Denmark, Italy, Norway, is completely illegal even to grow San Pedro Cactus for ornamental purposes. In contrast to The United Kingdom, Ukraine, Holland, and Peru. There, it is completely legal possession, cultivation, transportation, and sale without any legal repercussions.

In Peru, you can find it anywhere, especially in Mercado de los Brujos or Witch Market in Chiclayo. In Poland since 2009 it is illegal to possess alive or dry plants, seeds, any extract, or San Pedro products. There are some countries like Spain where there is not any mention of San Pedro in the list of controlled substances so it is ok to cultivate and have them but that does not mean to sell it it is not illegal.

In essence, except for the countries above mentioned, cultivating San Pedro Cactus is completely legal and will not have legal repercussions. You can find online all kinds of websites and specialized stores where you can buy a San Pedro Cactus in a pot. If you want to propagate it, it is easy to find seeds, small plants, or fresh cutting tips and all the supplements to take care of them such as fertilizer, compost, subtract, and antifungal.

Having answered the question, is San Pedro Cactus legal? It is also good to know that this cactus has many uses. Its medicinal properties are well known for the Peruvian shamans and they have been using it for thousands of years to treat skin conditions and all kinds of ailments.

Uses of San Pedro Cactus

San Pedro Cactus has a great cultural tradition. There is evidence of its use since pre-Columbian times in rituals and very specific procedures. It is known that it was used by one of the first Peruvian cultures, the Chavín, around 800 BC. However, its use is believed to date back to 1000, 1500 BC. Nowadays it is still used in Peru in traditional medical diagnostics and treatments.

San Pedro Cactus is used to treat several skin conditions. A slice of the stem over a wound helps the healing process. The ground stem is used to treat mycosis, just apply it like any other antifungal cream on the affected area. It is used also to fade scars by applying a poultice over them. Traditionally, it is even used to treat snake bites.

It is great for the hair. The cooked stem can be used to wash the hair, it helps to maintain the hair softness and shine. The fermented stem is used as a natural and eco-friendly alternative to shampoo. It is a cure for dandruff, wash the scalp with the stem peeled, cut, or blend, and soaked in cold water.

It is also used to alleviate all kinds of pain. For headaches, apply clean slices of the stem on the forehead. For kidney pain, apply a poultice of the fresh stem where it hurts. It is very good for lumbago or low back pain. Apply a very hot poultice of the stem where it hurts and change it, at least, two or three times per day. It is also used to treat other conditions and ailments. A poultice of fresh stem on the forehead is used to alleviate fever. A hot poultice on the forehead to treat sinusitis.

You can even make soap. Cut the stem and soak it in cold water, and then filter it, with or without salt. You can use the result to wash your clothes, it is perfect for wool. It maintains the color and fabric of wool garments.

Benefits of San Pedro Cactus

This cactus has not been studied for western medicine, and it was not studied by botanists until 1940. Therefore, there is not much evidence of its benefits. However, behind the use of this cactus, there are years of tradition and history that cannot be dismissed so easily. It has proven antibacterial and antifungal properties. Its active content has been used to help people with alcohol and drug problems to overcome their addiction, and to help patients with depression and other psychological conditions.

Shamans in Peru use it to treat cancer, fever, paralysis, hepatitis, diabetes, and many other diseases. Nevertheless, the evidence of its effectiveness in treating these conditions is mostly anecdotal.