The psychedelic drug ibogaine has been in the news recently. Many news articles and podcasts have brought to light ibogaine’s potential use in the treatment of anxiety, depression, traumatic brain injuries, and substance use disorders. In this blog we explore the history and current control of ibogaine.

Ibogaine’s Early History

Ibogaine is a psychoactive compound that is harvested from the root bark of the African Tabernanthe Iboga shrub. Native to Africa, it has been used for centuries in spiritual or religious ceremonies by the Bwiti and Mbiri tribes and used to induce hallucinations.

According to a report [1] published on the National Library of Medicine website, the principal alkaloid responsible for iboga’s psychedelic properties was isolated and sold as an antidepressant in France for decades before its adverse effects precipitated its removal from the market.

This same report noted that an ibogaine resurgence in the 1960s was driven by U.S. heroin addicts who claimed that ibogaine cured their opiate addictions. According to the report, behavioral pharmacologic studies in animal models provided evidence that ibogaine could blunt self-administration of not only opiates but cocaine, amphetamines, and nicotine.

Many other current drug abuse reviews indicate that Ibogaine needs additional research to determine the drug’s safety and its use as an anti-addictive treatment for humans.  

Ibogaine’s Controlled Substance Status in the United States

Ibogaine is not controlled internationally under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs or the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. It is, however, a Schedule I Controlled Substance under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that, for purposes of federal law, it has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, no accepted safety for use, and a high potential for abuse.  

Schedule I researchers in the U.S. have studied the effects of ibogaine on laboratory animals as a preliminary step that might lead to clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of ibogaine as a treatment for substance use disorder.  

In 2024, researchers at Stanford Medicine [BDC1] conducted a study on 30 special operations veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). These vets were interviewed before and after they received ibogaine treatment from a facility in Mexico. Although this was a single-arm trial, the researchers suggested the possibility that it might be demonstrated in follow-up controlled clinical trials that ibogaine has a positive effect on brain function.

Based on the results of the Stanford Medicine study, the State of Texas recently passed a bill related to the establishment of a grant program to provide state matching funds for a U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s drug development trial managed by a public university in partnership with a drug company and hospital. The clinical drug trial will use ibogaine to research the potential for treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), co-occurring substance use disorder, and any other neurological or mental health conditions.

In December of 2025, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, was awarded $50 million from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to lead a collaborative two-year, research trial evaluating the effectiveness of ibogaine on patients with OUD, TBI, and other behavioral health conditions.

On April 18, 2026, a new Executive Order was issued by the White House, Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness.  This document addresses rising suicide rates and serious mental illness in the United States, particularly among veterans.

The Executive Order emphasizes the potential of psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, which have shown promise in clinical studies and, in some cases, received FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation. The administration directs federal agencies to prioritize FDA review of these drugs, expand patient access through the Right to Try Act, and address regulatory barriers related to Schedule I substances.

Key actions include:

• Prioritizing FDA review via National Priority Vouchers
• Creating pathways for patient access under Right to Try
• Allocating at least $50 million to support state–federal collaboration on psychedelic research
• Expanding collaboration among HHS, FDA, VA, and the private sector to increase trials, data sharing, and real-world evidence, with special attention to veterans
• Accelerating the rescheduling review of psychedelic substances that successfully complete Phase 3 trials and receive FDA approval

The Executive Order clarifies that all actions must comply with existing law, available funding, and do not create enforceable legal rights.

If a drug containing ibogaine were approved by the FDA, DEA would transfer ibogaine from Schedule I of the Controlled Substance Act to a less restrictive schedule.  Such FDA approval would need to be predicated on the submission by a sponsor of new drug application, which would need to present evidence from clinical trials demonstrating that such drug is both safe and effective for its intended use.

Curious to Learn More?

For more information on the therapeutic use of ibogaine,  I recommend listening to the Other World Podcast Episodes 153: Down the Silver Strand Pt. 1 and 154: Down the Silver Strand Pt. 2.  These episodes are narrated by a U.S. Army Veternan named Jake, who shares his story of receiving treatment for his traumatic brain injury (TBI) that impacted all areas of his life and even led him to contemplate suicide. Jake recalls not only his experience at the ibogaine clinic he visited in Mexico, but he also describes the care and oversight he received from the medical professionals at the clinic where he received treatment.

An additional documentary to consider watching is called In Waves and War, and is currently streaming on Netflix. It tells the story of several former Navy SEALs suffering from post-combat traumatic stress and how they found psychedelic-assisted therapy with ibogaine treatment. The statistics cited in this documentary were jaw dropping.

• Total Deaths: More than 150,000 veterans have died by suicide, a central figure discussed in the documentary.
• Daily Rate: Roughly 17 veterans die by suicide per day, with some estimates reaching as high as 44 daily when including indirect or unreported cases.
• Combat vs. Suicide: Since 9/11, military suicides are over four times higher than deaths in combat operations (approx. 7,000 in combat vs. over 30,000 to over 120,000 by suicide, depending on the report, with recent, broader figures like 150k being highlighted).

I found additional information from the Department of Veteran Affairs’ National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, released on February 5, 2026. This report analyzed data from 2021 to 2023. One of the major findings of the report was that suicide rates are elevated for Veterans aged 18 to 34 years, and those with certain risk characteristics, including homelessness, health problems and pain. Among Veterans who died by suicide from 2021 to 2023 and whose deaths were reported by VA suicide prevention teams, the most frequently identified risk factor was pain.

Final Thoughts

While research is still ongoing into the potential uses of psychedelic drugs like ibogaine to treat patients with TBIs, depression, anxiety, OUD and other substance use disorders, depending on the results of such research, changes in controlled substance scheduling of these drugs could be on the horizon. This is good news for patients and practitioners seeking alternative treatment options with psychedelics.   

PSA

If you or someone you know is suffering from mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, contact 988 Lifeline.  

How Brinks DEA Consulting Can Help

Navigating the regulatory complexities surrounding Schedule I researcher registrations, research protocol development and submission, along with recordkeeping and security are our specialty. Brinks DEA Consulting brings more than 75 years of combined regulatory, enforcement, and DEA diversion control experience.

We work with practitioners, researchers, pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare organizations to identify compliance gaps, develop defensible policies, and address real-world scenarios that place facilities at risk. If you or your organization have questions on how to strengthen your controlled substance research compliance posture, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your specific challenges at Brinks DEA Consulting.

[1] Wasko MJ, Witt-Enderby PA, Surratt CK. DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Ibogaine. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2018 Oct 17;9(10):2475-2483. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00294. Epub 2018 Oct 9. PMID: 30216039.