Since ibogaine was introduced to the western world as an addiction interrupter it has been slow to gain approval as a prescription medicine for various reasons despite the success of the early phases of clinical trials and continued research.
Below is a map of ibogaine legal status in various countries around the world. For legal references and/or a chronology of legal decisions, click on the icon related to each location.
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International
Ibogaine is not included on the UN International Narcotics Control Board’s (INCB) Green List, or List of Psychoactive Substances under International Control. However, since 1989, it has been on the list of doping substances banned by the International Olympic Committee and the International Union of Cyclists because of its stimulant properties.
The Convention on Biological Diversity
Tabernanthe iboga is a protected species in Gabon, where reports suggest that it may be threatened in it’s natural habitat. Because of this, iboga may be subject to the terms of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to which 196 countries around the world (excluding only the United States and Vatican City) are parties.
Cases specifically regarding the international trade of iboga of Gabonese origin may also be subject to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing, which is an expansion on one of the main pillars of the CBD, ensuring access and benefits for traditional knowledge holders around the use of biological resources and related traditional knowledge. 65 countries are party to this treaty that came into effect on October 12, 2014.
It is recommended that those who are involved in the trade of ibogaine review further information about the sustainability situation and it’s relation to the Nagoya Protocol, as well as more about the recommended precautions.
Last updated August 19, 2017.
