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Texas Invests $50M in Psychedelic Drug Research to Treat Addiction
- June 16, 2025
- I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, June 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Texas has moved to fund research into ibogaine, a psychedelic drug that may help treat addiction, depression and brain injuries.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill last week approving $50 million in state funds for ibogaine research, The New York Times reported.
The goal is to support clinical trials and bring in another $50 million in private investment to help ibogaine win approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The process could take years.
Ibogaine is made from the root of a plant found in Africa. It has been banned in the U.S. since the 1960s, but many experts say it could help people who have not responded to other treatments.
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said problems affecting military veterans helped persuade conservative lawmakers to support the measure.
“From a political standpoint, veterans are a very appreciated population,” said Perry, a U.S. Air Force veteran and the measure’s most prominent supporter.
“If we had said we’re going to do this for the homeless or the prison population, the Legislature might not have been as willing to get on board,” he added.
The law directs Texas universities and hospitals to lead the research. It also makes sure the state keeps a share in future profits if the drug is approved.
This is “the Manhattan Project of our time,” said Bryan Hubbard, who leads the nonprofit Americans for Ibogaine. He has been pushing for similar programs in at least 20 states, The Times reported.
Ibogaine is a psychedelic that causes powerful hallucinations and can last for hours. Some studies suggest it may help people stop using opioids or other drugs, even after just one session.
In Brazil, the therapy has helped thousands. A 2024 study published in the journal Nature Medicine found that military veterans with brain injuries saw major mental and physical improvements after just one ibogaine session.
Researchers believe ibogaine helps rewire the brain by encouraging it to grow new neurons and promote neuroplasticity. That’s the brain’s ability to reorganize and adapt throughout life.
“We are cautiously optimistic that ibogaine could be the first drug to rehab people with traumatic brain injury," said Dr. Nolan Williams, director of Stanford University’s Brain Stimulation Lab, who led the Nature Medicine study.
Ibogaine can be dangerous for people with heart problems. But experts say the risks can be lowered through heart screenings, close monitoring and giving magnesium before and during treatment, The Times added in its report.
Because ibogaine is natural and can’t be patented, many drug companies have not invested in it. But some are working on lab-made versions that could possibly be safer.
One such company, Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals, got a $14 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse last year to study its version — one without heart risks.
“This is obviously a huge step in the right direction, but I worry about too much hype,” Andrew Kruegel, the company’s chief scientific officer, said.
“People want a miracle, because we need a miracle to solve some of these drug addiction issues we’re facing in this country," he added, "But it’s going to take a lot of time and money and I just don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves.”
Texas’ move marks one of the largest state-funded efforts into psychedelic therapy.
Other states like Oregon and Colorado have already launched legal clinics using psilocybin, the compound found in mushrooms, The Times reported.
Still, not all efforts have succeeded. The FDA recently rejected MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, for PTSD treatment, saying the benefits didn’t outweigh the risks.
Dr. Martin Polanco, who has helped 1,300 veterans get ibogaine therapy outside the U.S., hailed Texas’ action.
“This is definitely historic,” he told The Times. “And it’s especially significant that it’s happening in Texas, because a lot of conservative states look to Texas to craft their own legislation.”
More information
ScienceDirect has more on ibogaine.
SOURCE: The New York Times, June 14, 2025
