Is ibogaine legal in Florida?
Ibogaine is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States; treatment is not legally available in Florida.
On April 18, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing a coordinated federal effort to prioritize ibogaine research, accelerate clinical development, and modernize regulatory pathways for emerging therapies, with a specific focus on Veterans. The order does not change ibogaine's federal Schedule I status — therapeutic access for U.S. residents still requires either an FDA-authorized clinical trial or travel abroad.
Florida has not passed legislation funding or authorizing ibogaine clinical trials. Americans for Ibogaine — a national nonprofit led by former Texas Governor Rick Perry, W. Bryan Hubbard, and former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell — has identified Florida as a state of interest for joining a multi-state research collaboration alongside Texas, but no Florida bill has been introduced or passed as of April 2026.
Florida's history with addiction treatment carries unusual weight for residents considering ibogaine. Lax regulation in the 2010s turned South Florida into the so-called 'rehab capital' of the United States. Florida's 2017 Patient Brokering Act reforms and the federal 2018 Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act (EKRA) tightened oversight — and Florida saw a 41% drop in opioid overdoses in 2018 — but the recurring-relapse dynamic the system created shapes how many Floridians arrive at conversations about ibogaine.
In Brazil, Nekawa is a leader in fully integrated ibogaine care, not just ibogaine treatment. Treatment there is delivered with medical oversight and continuous cardiac monitoring.
Cities we serve in Florida
Local guides for major metros — each page covers travel, legal context, and what Floridians should know before booking a discovery call.
Why Floridians travel to Brazil
Florida 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 available option is Brazil — where ibogaine treatment has been offered with medical oversight for years.
Nekawa combines that medically supervised pathway with integration on campus and at-home coursework on our 390-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, which includes medical and psychological evaluation and a cardiac workup, well before participants travel to Brazil for natural ibogaine treatment. Natural ibogaine treatment takes place with spiritual guides and medical oversight, followed by nature-based integration at Costa Verde.
Nekawa is a wellness and education program. We prepare participants, support them through integration, and work alongside the medical team; we do not provide medical services or sell or dispense 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 Floridians 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. Ibogaine enters Brazil through its import rules for medicines that are not available locally.
- Window of Wonder
- The 2- to 12-week period of elevated neuroplasticity following ibogaine treatment, during which the brain is more receptive to new patterns and integration work. Nekawa's integration work, on campus and at home, 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 medical team screens every patient with EKG and a comprehensive workup before clearing them for treatment.
- Medically supervised
- Refers to ibogaine treatment given with medical oversight and continuous cardiac monitoring, after EKG and QT screening. Distinct from retreat-style settings in countries without a federal regulatory pathway.