PEYOTE RULING EXAMINED AT UR

(April 3, 2002) -- If you think your religious beliefs have nothing to
do with taking hallucinogenic drugs, you might want to think again.

A 1990 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on ritual peyote usage weakened legal
protections that all religions enjoyed, says a Colgate University professor.

Two Colgate professors -- one an expert on Native American religion
and one an expert on religion and law -- will talk about the landmark
peyote religion case Wednesday at the University of Rochester.

Christopher Vecsey, a professor of religion and Native American
studies at Colgate, says religious peyote use was recorded among
indigenous tribes in Mexico in the 1500s. Peyote buttons are a portion
of a cactus plant and they can cause hallucinations when eaten.

One hundred and fifty years ago, peyote use spread among western U.S.
tribes that were forced into what was then the Indian Territory of
Oklahoma.

"It's a way of purifying you of your sinfulness. Some people will
actually throw up when they take it. Mostly it's a way to meditate, to
focus on the divine," said Vecsey.

Today, about 300,000 people belong to the Native American Church,
which sanctions use of peyote -- considered an illegal drug in other
contexts.

The Supreme Court case involved a member of the church who lost his
job at an Oregon drug counseling agency after it became known that he
used peyote in his off hours.

The Supreme Court ruled against the fired employee and didn't even
entertain evidence that Alfred Smith's peyote use was part of a bona
fide religious practice.

"It became probably the most important religion case in America in the
last 20 years or so," Vecsey said.

"The state just decided that it didn't need to present a compelling
state interest to override religious interest," said Heather H. Hall,
a fifth-year religion and history major at the University of Rochester.

Hall, who lives in Colgate's hometown of Hamilton, is friends with
Vecsey and arranged the talk as part of her honors thesis.

Although the talk is meant as an academic discussion, Hall said "it
should appeal to anyone who really practices a minority religion."