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The Texas Senate and House of Representatives have approved legislation, House Bill 3717 and SB 2308, that would provide $50 million for a grant program and a public-private partnership to help bring ibogaine through FDA-approved clinical trials for opioid use disorders and other neurological and mental health conditions.
According to the Texas Ibogaine Initiative, the legislation would be the largest state-funded psychedelic research initiative in history.
"The opioid crisis has left too many families shattered and too many Veterans without answers," said State Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine), the bill’s author. "Lives are on the line, and ibogaine has the potential to save them."
Nearly 727,000 people have died in the U.S. from an opioid overdose between 1999 and 2022. Many people living in the U.S. who have not had success with available treatments, have traveled to Mexico and other countries, to undergo ibogaine therapy as alternative treatments.
Ibogaine is classified as a Schedule I drug and illegal to use or prescribe in the U.S., but it has been used for centuries as part of healing traditions in other countries.
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry, a key advocate of the ibogaine legislation, witnessed firsthand veterans who successfully treated their substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and traumatic brain injuries with ibogaine therapy.
“This is the most important work I've ever done—and I'll spend the rest of my life making sure ibogaine gets the attention and research it deserves," said Perry.
Several U.S. combat veterans testified in support of the bills, including Marcus Luttrell, a Navy SEAL veteran and Navy Cross and Purple Heart recipient.
During a 2005 combat mission in Afghanistan, Luttrell experienced significant physical injuries. “When I got hurt, I got introduced to opioids,” said Luttrell. “What I can tell you is when I took [ibogaine] and woke up the next morning, I not only didn't drink anymore, I didn't have an opioid addiction anymore. I didn't have an appetite for it at all.”
Ibogaine is a psychoactive compound derived from the iboga shrub, native to Central West Africa. Researchers are uncertain how ibogaine works on the brain to promote long-term effects, but many believe it may be due to its ability to promote new neural connections.
There is anecdotal evidence that suggests ibogaine therapy can effectively treat a range of mental health conditions. In April, Achal Singh Achrol, an academic neurosurgeon, testified at the Texas House Committee on Public Health about ibogaine.
Singh Achrol discussed findings from an observational study led by researchers at Stanford University. The study involved 30 special operations veterans who independently arranged ibogaine therapy in Mexico to treat their PTSD, anxiety and depression. “The vast majority of the special operations veterans who were in the study were in the normal range following the treatment,” said Singh Achrol.
Patients who undergo ibogaine therapy are pre-screened and monitored for safety, since ibogaine is associated with cardiac risks. Patients then meet with clinicians before and after ibogaine is administered to prepare mentally, consider their risks, and learn from their hours-long psychedelic experiences, which they use for their ongoing healing process.
The legislation will head to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk for his signature.
They speak with experts about the science of psychedelics, potential health benefits and risks, and why most psychedelics were made illegal, which hindered research for decades.
They also explore what must happen so people living in the U.S. — who might benefit from psychedelic therapies — can safely and affordably access these treatments at home.
