The Trump administration has a surprising new agenda item: it is fully supporting the legalization of a psychedelic drug called ibogaine. Ibogaine is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it is illegal at the federal level. However, some studies indicate it may be effective in treating opioid addiction, and researchers are hopeful it could also help with PTSD. It is this second application that has captured the White House's attention.
Veterans and Advocacy Groups Push for Ibogaine
Veterans and veterans' groups have been actively lobbying for ibogaine as a treatment for PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. Last month, they made progress when President Donald Trump signed an executive order to fast-track the Food and Drug Administration review process. Mattha Busby, a freelance journalist covering drug policy, discussed this development with Today, Explained guest host Jonquilyn Hill. Busby noted that podcaster Joe Rogan also played a role in the push for ibogaine legalization.
How Did Trump Become Interested in Psychedelics?
Trump has famously never smoked a cigarette, consumed alcohol, or taken any drugs. However, in the Oval Office, he has joked about taking ibogaine. Ibogaine is an incredibly potent psychedelic extracted from the root bark of a shrub native to West Africa, specifically Gabon. It is known for its ability to eliminate withdrawal symptoms in opioid and heroin addicts after a single session.
The Shift in Political Landscape
Psychedelics have traditionally been associated with the cultural left and counterculture. However, there is now a growing movement among right-wing, mostly Christian former special forces soldiers who suffer from debilitating conditions like PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. They have found that ibogaine and other psychedelics provide relief that conventional medicines cannot.
Joe Rogan's Role in Policymaking
Joe Rogan has featured discussions about psychedelics on his podcast since its inception. He hosted figures like Aubrey Marcus, former Texas Governor Rick Perry, and Kentucky lawyer Bryan Hubbard, who is an ibogaine advocate. Hubbard often quotes a passage from Isaiah in a style reminiscent of a Christian Southern revivalist. Rogan's podcast episode with this unlikely duo, who have both used ibogaine and extolled its benefits, aired about three weeks before the executive order. They urged Rogan to help make ibogaine approval happen. Rogan then texted Trump, who responded almost immediately, asking if they wanted FDA approval. This culminated in Rogan attending the White House signing of the executive order on psychedelics.
What the Executive Order Entails
The executive order includes several provisions. It allocates $50 million for psychedelic research, primarily to support state-led initiatives investigating ibogaine and to facilitate the first U.S. human trial. It also extends the Right to Try Act, which Trump signed during his first term, to include psychedelics, allowing end-of-life patients to access experimental drugs, provided the DEA does not obstruct the process. Additionally, the order accelerates the path to potential approval for psychedelic drugs, with three candidates that recently submitted data receiving fast-track status for their applications.
Likelihood of FDA Approval
It is quite likely that several psychedelic drugs will receive FDA approval during this presidency. While the Biden administration had discussed setting up a federal task force, Trump has seized the initiative and is capitalizing on the current cultural momentum.
Addressing the Dissonance with GOP's War on Drugs
There is apparent dissonance between the GOP's traditional support for the war on drugs and the current push for psychedelic legalization. However, Busby noted that the war on drugs is gradually ending, despite the rhetoric. Trump has always been somewhat outside the Republican Party establishment. Both parties have contributed to the war on drugs; for example, Joe Biden introduced a law as a senator that imposed much harsher penalties for crack cocaine, used more by people of color, compared to powder cocaine, used more by white people.
Who Is Using Psychedelics?
Psychedelics have crossed the political divide, with people from unexpected segments of society using them due to their perceived benefits, despite serious risks, especially with ibogaine. The executive order specifically named ibogaine because of the compelling stories from veterans about its transformative effects. An average of 22 veterans commit suicide daily in the U.S. Trump noted that since 9/11, over 21 times more veteran lives have been lost to suicide than on the battlefield. Many representatives and senators are veterans themselves. A Stanford study of 30 ex-special forces soldiers found that a dose of ibogaine significantly reduced all their traumatic brain injury symptoms.
However, ibogaine is a seriously potent and dangerous psychedelic when used improperly, and there have been numerous deaths, likely underreported, due to the drug disrupting the QT interval in the heart, leading to fatal cardiac arrest in some cases.
