Quote: MONTPELIER, Vermont, March 17, 2015—A new solution has been proposed for the opioid addiction problem that Governor Peter Shumlin described at length in his 2014 State of the State speech. Representative Paul Dame of Essex Junction has introduced H.387 to establish an ibogaine pilot program for substance use disorder treatment in Vermont, with Representative Joseph Troiano of Stannard co-sponsoring it. The bill was referred to the Committee on Human Services on March 10.
Ibogaine, from the Tabernanthe iboga plant native to western Central Africa, gained a reputation in the West for its ability to treat opioid and other substance use disorders when its anti-addictive properties were experienced in 1962 by Howard Lotsof. Ibogaine is not a "maintenance" drug like the ones currently used in Vermont's hub-and-spoke treatment model, methadone and buprenorphine. Ibogaine can provide a complete detoxification in 36 to 48 hours, with no withdrawal symtoms afterwards.
Ibogaine offers a fresh start that a patient can take advantage of to achieve prolonged abstinence. Like other medication-assisted treatment, success depends on the choices of the person taking it, and it is most effective when continuing care is available to support recovery. Sometimes a second ibogaine treatment is done six months later to reinforce the first.
Bonnie Scott, who founded an online working group called Vermonters for Ibogaine Research after Governor Shumlin's State of the State speech in 2014, lauds the bill's introduction. She says, "Vermont has led the U.S. on so many political issues, and has made tackling opioid dependency a priority. Different types of treatment will appeal to, and work better or worse for, different individuals. Vermonters and their physicians should have access to ibogaine as one of their treatment options." She is working with the bill's sponsors as well as ibogaine experts to clarify some of the details in H.387 to better reflect "best practices" most appropriate for this unique substance.
Sourcereset.me also has an article on the proposed bill (
here), but it's pretty sensationalized. Gov. Shumlin very likely has not even heard of iboga or this bill, which is still in early formative stages.
Lil ol' Vermont...such a quaint little magical place, yet so full of surprises
MOD editted in to merge threads:
A new article just released regarding the Vermont bill proposed to grant access to ibogaine for physicians:
Quote:
While the debate surrounding drug legalization in the US mostly centers around cannabis these days, one US state is considering testing the political waters with another highly medicinal psychoactive substance — ibogaine. Derived from the root bark of the African shrub iboga, ibogaine has achieved worldwide recognition in the past few decades as an incredibly effective addiction-interrupter, particularly for those dealing with opioid abuse. The state of Vermont, which has had medical marijuana legislation since 2004 and is widely considered to be one of the next states in line for recreational marijuana legalization, is now considering a bill that would start a pilot program that allows for ibogaine to be used for substance abuse treatment. If passed, this bill would be a hugely significant step towards making one of the most potent anti-addiction medications known to man available to the people that need it, both in Vermont and potentially across the US.
Fighting a Growing Heroin Epidemic
“Vermont has led the US on so many political issues, and [it] has made tackling opioid dependency a priority. Different types of treatment will appeal to, and work better or worse for, different individuals. Vermonters and their physicians should have access to ibogaine as one of their treatment options.” – Bonnie Scott of Vermonters for Ibogaine Research
The increasing threat of opioid addiction in Vermont is very real. Since the year 2000, the state has seen a 250% increase in heroin addiction treatment and a whopping 770% increase in treatment for all opiate addictions.1 The rise of opiate abuse in Vermont is so acute that in 2014, the state’s governor Peter Shumlin brought attention to the issue during his State of the State speech, calling it “a full-blown heroin crisis.” This recent rise in heroin use is also not just limited to Vermont but affects other New England states as well.
While it is hard to pinpoint the exact cause of heroin’s resurgence, some have speculated that it has to do with flip-flopping regulations regarding prescription pain pills that were once easy to obtain but have recently become more restricted. According to this theory, doctors were overprescribing opiate-based pain pills that people were abusing and eventually getting addicted to. Now that stiffer regulations exist for how these medications are prescribed, they have become far more expensive and difficult to obtain for those who were using them without a prescription. Heroin, on the other hand, has become comparatively very cheap and easy to obtain and is just one step away from gateway opiate prescription pills. Following the laws of supply and demand and the persistent tug of needing a “fix,” this situation seems to have created a steady new stream of heroin users and addicts.
Ironically, it seems like the main culprit in this addiction crisis may be the careless use of legal medications, and the capable savior ibogaine is still an illegal drug, classified as such because of its psychoactive effects.
A Focus on Treatment Rather Than Punishment
The fact that ibogaine is being considered for substance abuse treatment in Vermont is highly encouraging for ibogaine advocates and heroin addicts who don’t respond to conventional treatment. Governor Shumlin’s speaking about this crisis is also refreshing. In his State of the State speech, he emphasized the importance of shifting the focus from tougher laws and incarceration to treatment and harm reduction, citing the immense cost difference between jail and treatment programs. Shumlin noted that addiction should be seen as a disease and treated as such, rather than a criminal issue, and he appears to be on the right side of history. In recent months, it was revealed that the UN’s top drug and crime policy experts were getting ready to appeal to governments around the world to take this exact same approach.
The new bill H.387 was introduced by Representatives Paul Dame and Joseph Troianois and is backed by Bonnie Scott of the group Vermonters for Ibogaine Research — an organization founded in response to Governor Shumlin’s speech. To learn more about the bill or to lend your support, you can find their contact information on their press release about the bill.
Full article...http://psychedelictimes.com/iboga/facing-a-growing-heroin-epidemic-vermont-considers-ibogaine-pilot-program-to-treat-opiate-addiction/
Oh 802, how I love you Love
"Consciousness grows in spirals." --George L. Jackson
If you can just get your mind together, then come across to me. We'll hold hands and then we'll watch the sunrise from the bottom of the sea...
But first, are you experienced?