The following is a transcript excerpt of a special Sunday edition of Morning Wire. The full episode can be heard here.
As the Opioid epidemic continues to ravage the United States, scientists and lawmakers are taking a novel – and controversial – approach to combating the crisis: psychedelics. Despite continued concerns about the drugs, a number of studies have shown promising results and some states are beginning to fund research. Now military veterans and advocates say that one psychoactive substance in particular, Ibogaine, offers a potential medicinal breakthrough that could save lives.
Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley sat down with reporter Tim Pearce to discuss the potential medical applications of psychedelics.
JOHN: Tim, this is a fascinating topic that’s gaining steam in Washington and within the veteran community — while also prompting lots of questions and concerns. First, how did we get to this point — this official interest in psychedelics?
TIM: Understandably, when a lot of people hear the word ‘psychedelic’ they instantly think of illicit drug use, with images of Woodstock coming to mind. But that perception is starting to change — especially in the medical community, where a number of recent studies have shown that psychedelic drugs could have immense benefits in treating drug addiction, PTSD, and a slew of other mental health disorders. The drug getting the most attention is called Ibogaine — a substance derived from the Iboga plant in Africa. Traditionally, Ibogaine has been used in shamanistic rituals for its hallucinogenic properties, but a growing number of scientists say it’s a powerful tool in combating addiction. Back in the ’60s, a scientist named Howard Lotsof took Ibogaine recreationally with six friends — all of whom were frequent heroin users. According to Lotsof, all but one in the group saw their heroin addiction disappear overnight, with no withdrawal symptoms. That experience led Lotsof to devote much of his research career to studying the scientific components of the drug — he commissioned a number of studies over the next few decades that showed similar effects, but Ibogaine failed to gain mainstream attention. It wasn’t until the last decade, as the Opioid epidemic descended on the U.S. and scientists began looking for alternative treatment plans, that Ibogaine really burst onto the scene.
JOHN: Right. Tell us about some of the studies that showed promising results.
TIM: So, for years there’s been anecdotal evidence that psychedelics helped people address problems in their personal lives — everything from PTSD to addiction. But there wasn’t much hard data to go on. Because the drugs are illegal throughout the U.S., it’s difficult for scientists to conduct legitimate studies on them. But in recent years, scientists have begun to dig into psychedelics and their potential medicinal applications, and the results have been pretty surprising. For example, A study in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies found that 80% of patients who underwent Ibogaine treatment “eradicated or drastically reduced withdrawal syndrome” for a variety of addictions.
JOHN: So how exactly does Ibogaine work in breaking addictive tendencies?
TIM: That’s what scientists are still trying to understand. Once ingested, Ibogaine typically results in an 18-36 hour period where users experience often intense psychoactive experiences. According to users, those experiences produce deep introspective periods that encourage and help convince people to reassess their addiction, but more importantly, there’s the biological component. Again, we still don’t know all the details, but scientists at Johns Hopkins say Ibogaine appears to re-wire serotonin receptors in the brain and restore brain activity to pre-exposure levels. It seems to chemically erase addiction pathways in the brain for many users — and reportedly does so after just one or two doses. While other psychedelics that have been studied more extensively for their medicinal qualities, including psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine typically take a round of treatments before relief is felt. Ibogaine, on the other hand, appears to work right away. That’s an important element of treatment.
JOHN: Some of that scientific evidence has drawn the attention of lawmakers. How are they reacting?
TIM: Yeah, most people wouldn’t expect to see politicians publicly calling for research into psychedelic drugs — but as more evidence comes out, that’s exactly what we’re seeing in states around the country — especially those hit hardest by the Opioid epidemic. One of the states investing in Ibogaine research is Kentucky, which last year had the second highest rate of drug overdoses in the country. Just weeks ago, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron introduced a proposal that would potentially allocate $42 million over the next six years to research Ibogaine for treating drug addiction, PTSD, and a host of other mental illnesses. At that same event, Bryan Hubbard, Executive Director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, detailed the research some of that money will be used for. Hubbard said:
“Anecdotal evidence that is a mountain high and decades wide suggests that Ibogaine, within 48 to 72 hours of administration in safe, clinically-controlled conditions, resolves Opioid withdrawal syndrome. It appears to do so by clearing and resetting the brain’s Opioid receptors while also restoring the brain’s organic dopamine and serotonin production to pre-Opioid exposure levels. If this anecdotal evidence can be clinically validated, Ibogaine would represent a transformative therapeutic for treatment of Opioid use disorder…”
TIM: Morning Wire also spoke with Hubbard for more context on the potential medical applications of Ibogaine and why he wants more research into the drug.
“Due to Ibogaine’s unique properties, it has the capacity — and a very accelerated time frame — to clear the brain’s Opioid receptors, while simultaneously restoring the brain’s organic dopamine and serotonin production,” said Hubbard. “Which is almost always completely shut down in an Opioid-dependent individual.”
TIM: Hubbard also expressed caution:
“It’s important to note that Ibogaine does come with some risk, and that risk is associated with potential cardiac toxicity. If an individual receives Ibogaine treatment, it is imperative that they receive it within a medically-controlled setting with trained professionals. It is not safe to receive in the underground or recreationally. Anyone that would suggest that Ibogaine would be appropriate to consider for decriminalization is not properly understanding the risk that comes with it or the necessity for administering it within a safe, medically-controlled setting with the appropriate medical professionals present throughout.”
TIM: It’s worth noting, the proposed money to fund that research is coming from an $842 million payout the state received as part of a federal lawsuit against pharma companies for their role in the Opioid crisis. This proposal is important because it marks the first wide-scale effort from a state or federal government to research the drug. Keep in mind, Ibogaine is still illegal throughout the U.S., so it’s hard to know just how many people are using it. But as word of its medicinal application has spread, a growing number of Americans are venturing to places like Australia and New Zealand, where it’s legal. This move paves the way for potential decriminalization, at least in a medical setting.
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JOHN: Beyond treating Opioid addiction, Ibogaine is also gaining traction in the military community especially. Tell us about that.
TIM: There’s also compelling evidence that the drug is useful for treating PTSD and other service-related ailments. Retired three-star Marine Corps General Martin Steele, the head of the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition, says that while Ibogaine should not be used for everyone, it should be a tool in the arsenal for veterans in need.
“The existing clinical research and the growing body of personal anecdotes suggests that Ibogaine, when used with careful medical screening, treatment protocols, and oversight, has incredible promise for treating veterans and others struggling with Opioid addiction,” he said.
TIM: Another veteran leading the way for Ibogaine treatment is Tommy Aceto, a retired Navy SEAL. Aceto told us he first heard of the treatment from fellow SEALs struggling with PTSD and drug and alcohol addictions.
“This is going to be crazy to say this, but there’s guys that wake up and they go ‘I don’t ever want to drink again. I saw what it did to me.’ They’re not white knuckling it at this point,” said Aceto. “This doesn’t work for everyone, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen guys say that — and I’m one of them. I didn’t have to white knuckle an addiction. They were gone.”
TIM: Aceto says that while experiencing the psychedelic effects of Ibogaine, he was confronted with the reality of his addictions and trauma and came out a new man. In his words, he’d tried a number of treatments and medications that didn’t work and viewed Ibogaine as a last-ditch effort for healing.
“I felt a reset in myself. There were a lot of triggers, or what I would call “threats,” and they were diminished tremendously. And I had stopped taking all the medication that the Navy gave me — probably about 13 pills. That was a shocker. In our community, when you feel better, you want to tell as many people as you can.”
JOHN: We’ve seen similar calls for government action from veterans serving in Congress. Give us more details on what we’re seeing out of Washington.
TIM: This month, a number of congressmen, including SEAL veterans Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) and Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), introduced legislation that would allocate $75 million towards research into psychedelics. Here’s Rep. Luttrell speaking outside the capitol:
“Make no mistake, my journey, my experience with this treatment was the most horrific experience of my entire life. It was absolutely miserable. This is not something you do recreationally. The medications I took were Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT. It gives me the “hibbity jibbities” even thinking about doing it ever again, which I never will do. I will never tell anybody to do this — ever. If you find yourself in a place where you are lost, and no other modalities have worked, this could possibly be that tool. I can honestly stand here in front of all of you and the American public and say this, I was reborn. This changed my life. It saved my marriage. It is one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. I’ve never done a drug in my entire life, but I had to go overseas to do this.”
JOHN: But we’re still talking about a pretty heavy-duty drug here. You mentioned earlier some of the potential risks associated with its use — what do detractors say?
TIM: This is by no means a closed case in the medical community — there are plenty of doctors who are skeptical about the use of these drugs, and it’s definitely worth noting that psychedelics like Ibogaine can have some serious negative side effects. Most notably, the drug can cause an irregular heartbeat and result in severe cases of ataxia — an affliction that impairs balance and speech. Ibogaine is also especially dangerous when those using it have other drugs in their system, including Opioids, cocaine, or antidepressants and other SSRIs. That part is important, because many users take Ibogaine because they’re addicted to those very drugs. Proponents of the treatment stress that patients must complete a detox from any drugs before taking Ibogaine. And there are also plenty of folks leery of psychedelic use on religious grounds. Ibogaine users often compare the trance they enter to a spiritual state, and often report that during their hallucinations they encounter a sort of being who guides them through the experience. Many people of religious conviction say using any form of psychedelic drug — even in a medical setting — is essentially playing with fire.
JOHN: Well, obviously we want to approach this kind of drug with a lot of caution required here. Thanks for reporting.
TIM: Thanks for having me.