Is ibogaine legal in California?
Ibogaine is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States; treatment is not legally available in California.
In October 2025 California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1103 (Chapter 571), which streamlines the state's approval process for federally authorized clinical research involving Schedule I and II substances — including ibogaine, psilocybin, and MDMA. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026, and allows the state Research Advisory Panel to expedite review of qualifying studies through December 31, 2027.
AB 1103 enables research, not treatment. No California resident can legally receive ibogaine treatment inside the United States as of 2026; the bill streamlines the path for FDA-authorized clinical trials to be conducted in California, but does not create a regulated treatment pathway.
California is one of 18 US states tracked by the Americans for Ibogaine legislative initiative as actively pursuing ibogaine-relevant policy. Texas leads with a $50M dedicated research fund (SB 2308, 2025); California's posture is research-enabling rather than research-funding.
Brazil is the world's leading country for physician-prescribed, hospital-administered ibogaine. Treatment is regulated by ANVISA (Brazil's federal health agency, the equivalent of the FDA), prescribed by licensed physicians, and delivered with full cardiac telemetry and hospital emergency infrastructure.
Cities we serve in California
Local guides for major metros — each page covers travel, legal context, and what Californians should know before booking a discovery call.
- AnaheimCity guide coming soon
- IrvineCity guide coming soon
- Long BeachCity guide coming soon
- Los Angeles
- OaklandCity guide coming soon
- SacramentoCity guide coming soon
- San DiegoCity guide coming soon
- San FranciscoCity guide coming soon
- San JoseCity guide coming soon
Why Californians travel to Brazil
California residents who have exhausted conventional addiction or mental-health treatment options often arrive at ibogaine through word of mouth, veteran networks, or independent research. Because no legal treatment pathway exists in the United States, the regulated option is Brazil — where ibogaine has been prescribed by physicians and administered in hospitals for decades.
Nekawa combines that hospital-administered ibogaine pathway with a 15-day on-site integration program and 45-day at-home coursework on our 800-acre Costa Verde property near Paraty, Rio de Janeiro state.
How the Nekawa program works
The program begins with a discovery call and medical screening. Eligible participants travel to Brazil for physician evaluation, cardiac workup, and hospital-administered ibogaine treatment by independent licensed Brazilian doctors — followed by nature-based integration at Costa Verde.
Nekawa is a wellness education program. We prepare participants, support them through integration, and connect them with independent Brazilian physicians. We do not operate a clinic and do not prescribe or administer ibogaine.
Getting started
Book a discovery call to discuss your situation, medical history, and whether the Nekawa program is appropriate for you. Our team can walk Californians through travel logistics, timeline, and what to expect before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
More questions? See our program FAQ.
Definitions
Plain-language definitions of the terms used on this page.
- Schedule I
- A US federal classification under the Controlled Substances Act for substances with no accepted medical use and high abuse potential. Ibogaine has been Schedule I since 1970, which means no clinic in the United States — public or private — can administer it.
- ANVISA
- Brazil's federal health agency, the Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária — the functional equivalent of the US FDA. Regulates physician-prescribed, hospital-administered ibogaine treatment in Brazil under formal medical-use authorization.
- Window of Wonder
- The 2- to 12-week period of elevated neuroplasticity following an ibogaine session, during which the brain is more receptive to new patterns and integration work. Nekawa's 15-day on-site integration plus 45-day at-home coursework are structured around this window.
- eVisa (Brazilian)
- An electronic visa required for US travelers entering Brazil since January 1, 2026. Applied at brazil.vfsevisa.com, costs US$80.90, processes in roughly 72 hours, valid 10 years with multiple entries up to 90 days per stay.
- QT-interval
- A measurement on an electrocardiogram (EKG) of the time between ventricular depolarization and repolarization. Ibogaine prolongs the QT interval, which is why the prescribing physicians screen every patient with EKG and a comprehensive workup before clearing them for a session.
- Hospital-administered
- Refers to ibogaine treatment delivered in a hospital setting under continuous cardiac telemetry, ICU-trained nursing, and an on-site physician throughout — the regulated framework Brazil's prescribing physicians operate within. Distinct from retreat-style settings in countries without a federal regulatory pathway.
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