Americans are spending thousands of dollars to travel for ibogaine treatments despite warnings that the powerful psychedelic carries potentially dangerous and even deadly risks.
Executives, entrepreneurs and other high-performing professionals are paying as much as $20,000 in search of a mental reset, addiction treatment or improved performance, according to the New York Post.
At Ibogaine Clinic in Playa del Carmen, the center says it helps coordinate airport transfers, accommodations and other travel logistics for patients.
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Other clinics have turned treatment into a multi-day retreat. At Beond Ibogaine in Cancún, programs include medically supervised care alongside lodging, yoga, meditation, massage and integration sessions, according to the center’s website.
With ibogaine unavailable for medical use in the United States, some Americans are traveling to Mexico to seek treatment.
While Mexico has emerged as one of the leading destinations for ibogaine treatment, psychedelic retreats have also expanded elsewhere in Latin America, including Costa Rica, where travelers seek alternative wellness and recovery experiences, according to reports.
Ibogaine drew renewed public attention following the death of Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of Cindy Crawford.
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Gerber had traveled to Mexico for what he described as an “ibogaine flood,” a high-dose treatment involving the psychoactive substance, while struggling with addiction, Fox News Digital previously reported.
He had spoken publicly about turning to ibogaine in an effort to “rewire” his brain.
Addiction specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky warned against viewing ibogaine or other alternative psychedelic treatments as a cure for substance-use disorder.
“I’ve had patients using ibogaine or ayahuasca for decades, and there’s nothing magic about it, I assure you,” Pinsky told Fox News Digital.
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While some Americans travel to Mexico seeking relief from addiction, others are paying thousands of dollars for ibogaine experiences marketed as a way to improve performance, recover from burnout or gain a new perspective.
At Beond, stays cost between $12,500 and $20,000, with health and optimization clients typically spending about 10 days at the facility, according to the New York Post.
Some clinics are marketing ibogaine beyond addiction treatment, positioning the psychedelic as a tool for personal growth, performance optimization and emotional healing, according to the outlet.
Mike Stratton, a 34-year-old health company co-founder, told the outlet that he sought ibogaine while looking for what he described as a reset after his health and personal life had suffered amid a demanding work schedule.
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Stratton underwent a high-dose “flood” treatment, which produced an intense experience as memories and thoughts surfaced.
“It was a hell ride,” Stratton told the outlet.
The effects can continue for more than 24 hours, leaving patients in a waking, dreamlike state, The New York Times reported. The drug can also interfere with the heart and carries a risk of potentially fatal cardiac complications, making medical monitoring particularly important.
The risks become particularly concerning when travelers receive intense psychedelic treatment at facilities where medical screening, emergency preparedness and follow-up care can differ widely.
The Times identified at least 40 clinics and wellness centers in Mexico offering ibogaine, compared with almost none a decade earlier. Treatments ranged from about $5,000 to nearly $20,000, excluding travel expenses.
Those facilities can range from luxury operations with credentialed medical professionals to informal practitioners working in far more rustic settings, according to the outlet.
Fox News Digital’s Khloe Quill contributed to this report.
