Residents of Lubbock, Texas who are researching ibogaine for addiction, trauma, or treatment-resistant depression are usually looking for a physician-prescribed, hospital-administered pathway — not an underground session. In the United States, ibogaine remains a Schedule I substance, so no licensed clinic in Texas can legally provide treatment today.
Nekawa is a wellness academy on Brazil's Costa Verde that coordinates travel, preparation, and integration for U.S. and Canadian residents. Treatment itself is prescribed and delivered by independent licensed Brazilian physicians in hospital settings regulated by ANVISA. This guide explains the legal context in Texas, what the Brazil pathway involves, and how Lubbock residents typically travel to the clinic.
Why Lubbock residents look outside the United States for ibogaine
Lubbock sits in a region where fentanyl-contaminated supply and polysubstance use have reshaped who seeks ibogaine — often after MAT, detox, or residential programs have not held.
- West Texas including Lubbock County saw delayed but accelerating fentanyl penetration after the drug moved inland from border-adjacent metros.
- Texas recorded 5,109 drug overdose deaths in 2024 (CDC NCHS / NVSS provisional data). Fentanyl-involvement breakdowns by state for 2024 are not yet finalized, so do not cite specific percentages.
- Lubbock residents researching ibogaine often arrive after conventional MAT, detox, and residential programs — while Texas leads U.S. states with a $50M ibogaine clinical trial fund (SB 2308), that fund supports research only and does not create legal treatment access inside Texas.
- Texas does not have a Good Samaritan overdose immunity law as broad as most states, which can discourage 911 calls during overdoses.
Local treatment options near Lubbock
Within roughly 25 miles of Lubbock, SAMHSA's treatment locator lists approximately 8 facilities offering substance-use, detox, residential, buprenorphine, or methadone services. Those programs remain the appropriate first line for many people.
Ibogaine is not among the services any Texas facility can legally offer. Residents who have exhausted conventional options sometimes research international, physician-supervised pathways instead.
Texas's legal and policy posture on ibogaine
Ibogaine is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States; treatment is not legally available in Texas.
- In June 2025 Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 2308, creating a $50M public-private fund to support FDA clinical trials of ibogaine for opioid use disorder, traumatic brain injury, and PTSD. The Texas Ibogaine Initiative is led in part by former Governor Rick Perry and is the largest U.S. state investment in psychedelic medicine research to date.
- In April 2026, after failing to attract a private pharmaceutical partner, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission awarded the $50M to UTHealth Houston in collaboration with UT Medical Branch at Galveston to lead the IMPACT (Ibogaine Medicine for PTSD, Addiction, and Cognitive Trauma) consortium — a statewide, multi-university clinical trial program.
- The fund supports research only — no Texas resident can legally receive ibogaine treatment inside the United States as of 2026.
- 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.
Traveling from Lubbock to Paraty, Brazil
Most Lubbock travelers fly from Lubbock Preston Smith International (LBB) to São Paulo (GRU) or Rio de Janeiro (GIG), then continue by private ground transport along the Costa Verde to Paraty. Nekawa coordinates airport pickup and the drive to the campus.
- Lubbock Preston Smith International (LBB) connects to GRU via one-stop service through DFW or IAH.
- From either GRU or GIG, it is a 4-hour drive along the BR-101 coastal highway to Paraty, on Brazil's Costa Verde. Nekawa arranges private ground transport from the airport.
- As of January 1, 2026, US travelers need an approved Brazilian eVisa to enter Brazil. The visa is applied for online at brazil.vfsevisa.com, costs US$80.90, and is typically issued within 72 hours. It is valid for 10 years with multiple entries of up to 90 days per stay. A US passport with at least six months of remaining validity is required.
What to expect at Nekawa
Nekawa is not a medical provider. The program includes a structured preparation course before travel, hospital-administered ibogaine under Brazilian physician supervision, and a 45-day integration curriculum after you return home.
Cardiac screening (including EKG), on-site physician oversight, and emergency hospital infrastructure are part of the medical protocol in Brazil — not optional add-ons.
Book a discovery call when you are ready to discuss whether this pathway fits your situation. There is no pressure to commit on the first conversation.
Where the jungle meets the sea
Nekawa sits in the Atlantic rainforest just outside the colonial port town of Paraty. Old-growth jungle, waterfalls, natural swimming pools, and a bay scattered with more than 300 forested islands. After Lubbock, this is a different world.
Frequently asked questions
More questions? See our full 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.
If you are a Lubbock resident comparing options, start with the legal facts in Texas, then speak with our team about whether the Brazil pathway is appropriate for you.
Book a discovery call — no obligation.
A medical program in a setting that matters
The hospital protocol is the foundation. The setting is the second medicine. See the property, the rooms, the team, and the route in.
More cities in Texas
- Arlington
- Austin
- Corpus Christi
- Dallas
- El Paso
- Fort Worth
- Frisco
- Garland
- Houston
- Irving
- Laredo
- McKinney
- Plano
- San Antonio
See the Texas state guide for statewide legal context.
Let’s connect.
No pressure — tell us a little about what you’re going through.