It’s not often that we here at AddictionNews scoop the major media on breaking stories, but it does happen. Usually, the major media get their hands on new studies before we do, and we’re grateful for the many leads they provide to scientific research. Every now and then, however, we stumble on research that has escaped their attention.

We have beaten The New York Times and The Washington Post to coverage of important studies in addiction science. This week, we beat The Wall Street Journal to the Texas ibogaine story. On June 18, we ran a story about how Texas has become the world leader in psychedelics research with a $50 million investment in research on ibogaine for addiction treatment.

On June 19 — one day later — The Wall Street Journal covered the same story. So why bring it up? Because WSJ has done a beautiful job assembling all the parts of the story into a captivating video. Just nine minutes of video — about as long as it takes to read this article — communicates a large and complicated story quickly.

The video was assembled by WSJ senior video journalist, Alexander Hotz, who is likely the uncredited narrator as well. After showing the Opioid Overdose Death Map, a regular fixture at AddictionNews, the video quickly jumps to the use of ibogaine, a psychedelic root, for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

WSJ interviewed Bryan Hubbard, CEO of Americans for Ibogaine, the leading force behind the Texas legislation. Hotz also interviewed Dr. Kenneth Alper, the psychiatrist who collaborated extensively with Howard Lotsof, the discoverer of ibogaine’s effect on drug dependence in humans. 

Hotz also visits Ambio Life Sciences, a clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, that provides ibogaine treatments, where he interviews co-founder, Trevor Millar. Hotz follows one patient who is being treated for opioid use disorder. The ibogaine causes hallucinations — some positive, some negative — and can be deadly, which is why previous trials of the drug have been halted. Specifically, ibogaine can cause the heart to race, and the heart rate should be monitored continuously during treatment.

The WSJ video also briefly covered standard therapy for opioid use disorder (OUD), which includes substitute medications of methadone or buprenorphine. Hotz points out that those treatments have pretty dismal recovery rates, with less than 30% abstinent six weeks after treatment. One study cited in the WSJ video showed 75% abstinence one year after a single treatment with ibogaine.

The WSJ video includes footage from inside the Texas Senate Committee hearing on the ibogaine bill, as well as footage from Governor Abbott’s signing ceremony. You can see that it took quite a large partnership to push this bill through, including crucial help from former Texas Governor, Rick Perry, which the WSJ video never mentions.

So not only did we scoop The Wall Street Journal, we told a little bit more of the story than they did — and we left out the spooky voodoo stock video clips.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published June 26, 2025.

Sources:

“Inside One Man’s Journey to Mexico for Addiction Treatment With a Psychedelic,” The Wall Street Journal, June 19, 2025.

“Ibogaine treatment outcomes for opioid dependence from a twelve-month follow-up observational study,” American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, April 12, 2017.

“With Rick Perry’s backing and $50 million from the state, Texas set to become a leader in psychedelics research,” Texas Tribune, June 11, 2025.

Image Copyright: svershinsky.