Jonathan Dickinson held an information and fundraising event to increase awareness about ibogaine treatment for addictions at the Umi Café on Somerset Street recently. He was also raising money to fund his travel to Tijuana to work in a therapeutic centre for three months starting in early November.

He wants to increase the knowledge about and availability of this drug. Dickinson also plans to try ibogaine himself in order to help guide people through the treatment process.

 “It can eliminate 90 per cent of withdrawal symptoms,” says Dickinson, the outreach co-ordinator for Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

Ibogaine is a hallucinogenic drug that has been used to cure addictions by interrupting dependency. It is strong enough to eliminate cravings for heroin and cocaine. While under the influence of this drug, people often experience visions of past conflicts and deal with deep emotional issues.

One patient says he had a vision of his old self, withering away before his eyes. The trip resulting from this drug lasts between 24 to 72 hours, longer than most hard drugs.  

When the drug was first used, there was a relatively high associated mortality rate. Dickinson says this is because when the drug was first being used as a form of treatment, people were providing it to addicts in hotel rooms instead of a controlled facility.

Now, the major criticisms of ibogaine are the high cost for treatment, around $4,900, and the severe nausea that is often a side effect. The drug is currently illegal in the US, but not governed by any law in Canada.  

Health Canada has not issued any regulations or statements about the drug.

Iboga House, a treatment centre near Vancouver was under investigation by health officials but voluntarily closed down, according to their website for “restructuring and expanding,” before any ruling was made.

Ibogaine comes from the root of the Iboga plant. The drug was first used in Africa for ritual healings and has also been known to cure ailments such as digestive disorders. “The academia distorts things a lot,” says Chikonzero Chazunguza, who emigrated from Zimbabwe four months ago. He believes that the context for using this drug is integral to its effectiveness.

“Back home, it means there is a connection between what is inside and what is outside,” he says. This is why members of the tribe paint the face of the individual going through Ibogaine treatment and sing chants throughout the resulting drug trip.

In the modern western context of treatment centres, ibogaine is taken as white powder and administered in an enclosed facility with the use of a heart monitor and close supervision.

Dickinson says once he comes home, he hopes to raise awareness in Ottawa and to use his experience abroad to help people who are struggling with addictions. However, he says there would have to be a lot more support from the community before this could happen.