At a recent event at Centre College, Americans for Ibogaine CEO Bryan Hubbard spoke about the potential of ibogaine as a treatment for opioid addiction and trauma, while urging Kentucky leaders to reconsider funding research into the compound. Hubbard, who previously chaired the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, highlighted emerging scientific interest in ibogaine and argued that clinical research could help address the state’s ongoing addiction crisis.
The discussion also revisited Hubbard’s earlier proposal to allocate $42 million in opioid settlement funds toward ibogaine clinical trials through a public-private partnership in Kentucky. That proposal was ultimately rejected by state officials, who raised concerns about funding research for a substance that remains illegal under federal law. Despite the setback, Hubbard pointed to growing momentum in other states and suggested that multi-state partnerships and new legislative efforts could help advance research into ibogaine in the coming years.