Episode 858: Ibogaine – A Breakthrough Treatment for Addiction

Newt's World

Gingrich 360

News, Politics

4.7 • 6.3K Ratings

🗓️ 29 June 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Newt talks with W. Brian Hubbard, Executive Director of Americans for Ibogaine, about the groundbreaking initiative in Texas to research Ibogaine, a powerful psychedelic, for its potential in treating opioid addiction, traumatic brain injury, and depression. Governor Greg Abbott approved a $50 million dollar investment, marking one of the largest government investments in psychedelic medicine. Hubbard was instrumental in getting the Texas initiative passed and is advocating for similar programs in other states. Hubbard shares his journey from a legal career in Kentucky, witnessing the opioid epidemic's impact, to leading efforts for Ibogaine research. He highlights the drug's potential to revolutionize addiction treatment, citing its success in interrupting addiction and restoring brain function. Their conversation also touches on the political challenges faced in Kentucky and the promising developments in Texas, where a public-private partnership aims to conduct FDA trials. Their discussion underscores the potential of Ibogaine to transform healthcare by offering a restorative treatment for addiction and neurological conditions, with hopes of broader acceptance and integration into the U.S. healthcare system.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an I-Heart podcast.
0:08.6	On this episode of Nutsworld, on June 14th, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas approved legislation
0:15.7	to spend $50 million in state money researching Ibegain, a powerful psychedelic. In signing the legislation,
0:24.6	he put a spotlight on a drug that is still illegal, but that has shown promise in treating
0:30.1	opioid addiction, traumatic brain injury, and depression. The initiative is one of the largest
0:35.9	government investments in psychedelic medicine to
0:38.3	date. Interest in Ibrahimine therapy has gained momentum in recent years, driven in large part by
0:44.3	veterans who have had to travel to other countries for treatment, and studies showing the success
0:49.4	of the treatment. I'm really pleased to welcome my guest, W. Brian Hubbard, Executive Director of Americans for Ibegain.
0:58.6	He was a driving force behind the Texas Initiative, and he is talking to officials in more than 24 states about creating similar programs.
1:22.5	Music programs. Brian, welcome and thank you for joining me on Newts World. It's an honor to be with you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for hosting the conversation. Well, you know, you've been involved with looking for
1:28.1	treatments for opioid addiction for some time. Could you sort of give us your background and how
1:33.1	you got involved with this? Well, I was born and raised in the coalfields of Virginia, about 50 miles
1:40.3	each way from where Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Tennessee all come together.
1:45.5	I'm the grandson of coal miners, and I had a very idealized version of American civics and
1:51.4	history education. I went to undergrad at George Mason and went to law school, where I thought I was
1:56.5	going to be equipped with all of the tools necessary to defend truth, justice, and the American way.
2:02.0	By the end of that first semester in law school, all of those dewy-eyed dreams and ambitions
2:06.6	have been crushed and destroyed before my very eyes with an introduction to the reality of law.
2:12.1	I had a legal career that spans 16 years representing three of Kentucky's largest employers in their workers' compensation
2:19.7	mitigation across the state. This litigation occurred within a political patronage system
2:25.3	that masqueraded as a legal system, and that was the workers' compensation system at home.
	...

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