Health · addiction drug · ArchiveTrump Fast-Tracks Ibogaine for Addiction Despite Deadly Cardiac RisksAired July 23, 2026 at 5:31 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00Every year, hundreds of Americans0:01struggling with addiction travel to a0:03clinic in Mexico hoping a powerful0:04psychedelic drug can finally break their0:06cycle because that drug is illegal in0:08the United States, and the Trump0:09administration says it wants to change0:11that. President Trump has signed an0:12executive order fast-tracking ibogaine0:14for addiction treatment research and FDA0:16approval. But the drug remains a DEA0:18schedule I controlled substance with no0:21FDA approval, and experts warn of0:23cardiac risks linked to potentially0:25fatal heart complications. One clinic in0:27Mexico alone reports treating nearly0:293,000 patients over the past decade.0:32These are Americans who cannot access0:34ibogaine legally on US soil. They0:36undergo medical screening and monitored0:37detox before receiving the psychedelic0:39in a controlled clinical setting with0:41staff tracking vital signs throughout.0:43Clinics like this one operate openly in0:45Mexico where ibogaine is legal and0:47regulated. The clinic owner, a former0:49addict, told Sky News the treatment is0:51intensive. Patients are medically0:53screened beforehand and monitored0:54throughout the session for any0:55complications. Podcast host Joe Rogan0:58has been among the most vocal advocates,1:00claiming an 80 to 90% success rate for1:02addiction treatment. His platform has1:04helped push ibogaine into mainstream1:06political conversation, influencing1:08policy makers and patients alike. That1:10gap between what patients are seeking1:13and what US law allows is enormous. And1:16while Mexican clinics operate with1:17medical oversight, the American black1:20market for ibogaine is completely1:21unregulated, adding yet another layer of1:24danger. Medical experts are sounding the1:26alarm. Ibogaine has been linked to1:28cardiac risks including potentially1:30fatal heart complications. Without1:32FDA-approved clinical trials in the1:34United States, the drug's long-term1:36safety profile remains poorly1:38understood. Republican psychedelic1:40advocate Brian Horton acknowledges the1:41tension. He says the administration is1:44racing to deliver on a promise of1:45breakthrough treatments, but the science1:47has not yet caught up to the politics.1:49For patients desperate for help, the1:51question is whether fast-tracking a drug1:53with known cardiac risks is worth the1:55gamble.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗