Is ibogaine legal in New York?
Ibogaine is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States; treatment is not legally available in New York.
As of April 2026, New York State has multiple ibogaine bills pending in the legislature, but none have passed. S1817 (Senate) and A1522 (Assembly) would direct New York's Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) to encourage and facilitate clinical research into ibogaine for heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine addiction; both are companion bills, with S1817 currently in the Senate Finance Committee.
Assembly Bill A9583 (Smullen, R), introduced January 2026, would establish a research grant program funding clinical trials of ibogaine for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, with a dedicated fund. Assembly Bill A628 takes a broader posture, calling for the legalization of ibogaine and other entheogenic substances for adults 21 and older.
Federal Schedule I status means no clinic in New York — public or private — can legally administer ibogaine. Pending state-level research bills do not change this. New York's research-focused bills sit in committee while the federal pathway moves through the FDA's clinical trial framework, accelerated by the April 2026 Executive Order on psychedelic medicines.
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.
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Why New Yorkers travel to Brazil
New York 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 New Yorkers 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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