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Gov. Greg Abbott signed a $50 million bill into law on Wednesday to help bring ibogaine through FDA-approved clinical trials for opioid use disorders and other neurological and mental health conditions.
Advocates said the legislation is the largest state-funded psychedelic research initiative in history.
The law is designed as a public-private partnership so that private investments, including those from a drug developer, would match the state's funding. If ibogaine is approved by the FDA, the state would receive a percentage of revenue generated from the drug development process.
"Texas is home to more veterans than any other state in the U.S. Many struggle with things like depression, PTSD, and opioid use disorder," Abbott said. "A therapy that has shown great promise in treating those conditions is ibogaine."
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 undergone ibogaine and other psychedelic therapies abroad, in countries like Mexico, where the treatments are legal or unregulated.
Ibogaine is classified as a Schedule I drug and is 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 Gov. 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," Perry added.
Several U.S. combat veterans testified in support of the legislation, 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," Luttrell said. "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.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that ibogaine therapy may 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," Singh Achrol added.
Patients who undergo ibogaine therapy are pre-screened and monitored for safety because ibogaine is associated with cardiac risks. Patients meet with clinicians before ibogaine is administered to discuss risks and prepare. They also meet after their psychedelic experiences to process what they learn and integrate these lessons to support their ongoing healing process.
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