Introduction to Ibogaine Treatment
AUSTIN — Keller resident and former Army Ranger Chase Rowan remembers a long hallway with doors. Behind each door was a traumatic memory. Behind one, he was a crying 6-year-old with stitches. Behind another, his children grieved their father’s 17-year opioid addiction decades later. As his body lay inside a clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, two years ago, a psychedelic drug treatment known as ibogaine led him through those doorways and into the furthest corners of his mind — one addled by traumatic brain injury, alcoholism, suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic stress, addiction to pain killers and deep childhood hurt.
The next day, he told The Dallas Morning News, “I felt 100 pounds lighter.” He never needed another ibogaine treatment after that — not to mention a drop of alcohol or any other drug, he said. “It was like three years of therapy in one sitting,” he said. “10 hours.”
Bringing Ibogaine to Texas
On Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a new program to bring that treatment to Texas, home to more veterans than any other state in the U.S. Senate Bill 2308 authorizes Texas to invest $50 million into clinical trials of ibogaine in Texas. The trials would be run by medical schools, consortiums, drug companies or others, and the state would provide matching funding for research that could lead to approval of ibogaine for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration.
“To better understand potential for ibogaine and to better address the public health challenges caused by things like opioid use disorder, an FDA clinical drug trial is needed,” Abbott said before signing the legislation at his office in the Texas Capitol. “Many of these veterans suffer from so many different types of injuries, both seen and unseen. …The same is true for some of our first responders, as well as others who are dealing with addiction-based issues.”
The Need for Ibogaine Treatment
The program opens a brand new door to veterans like Rowan and others who have been searching for an end to suffering caused by addiction, depression, trauma and chronic pain — and advocating for decades to bring ibogaine to American soil, Abbott said. “Their lives have been touched, affected, harmed in some ways, and they have been looking for a pathway, a therapy, a treatment, a way to deal with and grapple with and have a better pathway in their lives with an alternative,” the governor said.
One million Texans suffer from opioid abuse disorder, and studies have shown that more than 7% of Texas adults suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, said state Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, the bill’s House sponsor. About 1.4 million veterans live in the state, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Recent studies suggest between 33 and 44 veterans commit suicide every day in the U.S.
What is Ibogaine?
The treatment comes from the iboga shrub, used for centuries by medical practitioners and spiritual healers in its native West Central African nations of Cameroon, Congo and Gabon. By the early 1900s, the treatment arrived in the U.S. — only to be classified for its psychoactive properties as an illegal substance in 1970. Legal ibogaine treatments are available in clinics in Canada and Mexico.
The patient is prepared in advance with a therapist and then is given the drug in a clinical setting. The drug induces a dreamlike state that most patients describe as meaningful, with few negative experiences reported, scientists told lawmakers during committee hearings on the legislation. Ibogaine interacts with neurotransmitters and neuroreceptors involved in memory, learning and neuroplasticity.
Research and Studies
Research suggests the drug can reset brain chemistry, which could help with addiction. A recent Stanford University study also showed stark improvement in cognitive functioning, suggesting the drug can also slow or reverse the effects of aging on the brain — which could have implications for dementia research. One scientist described the effect as “a rewiring in the brain.”
In 2024, the Stanford University study followed 30 special forces veterans to Mexico for the treatment. All of them had brain injuries. One month after receiving the treatment under supervision from doctors and therapists, the veterans reported an 88% decline in their PTSD symptoms, an 87% decrease in depression symptoms and an 81% decrease in anxiety symptoms.
Conclusion and Future
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said Wednesday at the bill signing that he — like many in the House — was skeptical and uneducated about the issue at first. And then, he said, the powerful testimony of people like Rowan who brought “story after story” of redemption and reclamation of their lives after decades of intense suffering moved lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to overwhelmingly support the idea and send it to Abbott in late May.
“Everyone needs to remember, when you actually hear from people and people come to these chambers, it makes an impact,” Burrows said. “I’m excited about today. I’m more excited about these trials and what’s going to come from them, and hopefully the relief that provides to so many affected people who need this therapy now.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, ibogaine treatment has shown promising results in treating addiction, depression, trauma, and chronic pain. With the new program in Texas, there is hope for veterans and others who have been suffering from these conditions. The clinical trials will provide more insight into the effectiveness of ibogaine and its potential to be approved by the FDA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ibogaine?
Ibogaine is a psychedelic drug treatment that comes from the iboga shrub, used for centuries by medical practitioners and spiritual healers in its native West Central African nations.
How does ibogaine work?
Ibogaine interacts with neurotransmitters and neuroreceptors involved in memory, learning and neuroplasticity, and can reset brain chemistry, which could help with addiction.
What are the benefits of ibogaine treatment?
The benefits of ibogaine treatment include an 88% decline in PTSD symptoms, an 87% decrease in depression symptoms, and an 81% decrease in anxiety symptoms, as well as improved cognitive functioning.
Is ibogaine treatment available in the US?
Currently, ibogaine treatment is not approved by the FDA, but clinical trials are being conducted in Texas to study its effectiveness and potential for approval.
How can I get ibogaine treatment?
Ibogaine treatment is available in clinics in Canada and Mexico, but it is not yet approved for use in the US. However, with the new program in Texas, there may be opportunities for individuals to participate in clinical trials and receive the treatment.
