… ibogaine helped him regain his life. But he had to travel to Mexico for the treatment. It's illegal in the United States. House Public Health …
State psychedelics legalization and policy roundup — October 2025
This post is part of an ongoing series summarizing state-based psychedelic reforms intended for policy professionals.
Kentucky
On Aug. 27, the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services discussed whether Kentucky should join a multi-state collaborative to conduct clinical trials of ibogaine as a treatment for certain neurological conditions, including opioid addiction. In 2023, the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission first broached the idea of directing a portion of the state’s ...
Joe Rogan Hails “Psychedelic” Texas Initiative That Could’ve Changed ‘The Smashing Machine’ Mark Kerr’s Life
“Once you turn that invisible line, there’s no going back,” said UFC legend Mark Kerr, speaking to Sports Illustrated about his addiction. Fans knew him as ‘The Smashing Machine.’ Kerr captured two UFC heavyweight titles after debuting in the promotion in 1997. At his peak, he dominated opponents and looked unstoppable inside the Octagon. However, away from the spotlight, his life veered into a darker fight. Kerr battled prescription painkillers and ...
Athletes Turn to Banned Ibogaine for CTE and Concussion Relief
In the high-stakes world of professional sports, where concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) cast long shadows over athletes’ careers and post-retirement lives, a controversial treatment is gaining quiet traction among NFL and UFC veterans. Ibogaine, a potent psychedelic derived from the African iboga shrub, is being sought out by players desperate for relief from brain trauma symptoms, despite its classification as a Schedule 1 controlled substance in the U.S. with no approved ...
Some Athletes are Trying the Psychedelic Ibogaine to Treat Brain Injuries
“As awareness grows around the dangers of head trauma in sports, a small number of professional fighters and football players are turning to a psychedelic called ibogaine for treatment,” reports the Los Angeles Times.
They note that the drug’s proponents “tout its ability to treat addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, or TBI. ”
Ibogaine, which is derived from a West African shrub, is a Schedule ...