Trying, but wont let me sign for some reason from my tablet.

Do they really need my address and personal info?
That's not something I'm going to give out to any random nonprofit, even if I like their message.

Signed!

Good cause! Glad I signed it. Slowly more people know about the plant and its significance during the recovery stage of emotional, mental and physical phenomena. It'd be nice to see some expansive recovery occur within the PTSD area and related paradigm fields.

Signed and shared

Have you considered the consequences of legalizing iboga before there is a sustainable source for it? Maybe a petition to start an iboga farm, followed by legalization in 5 years would be more responsible.

Signed and shared! Though, I do share ouro's concern for developing sustainable production of T. iboga. We have a lot of opiate addicts in the United States, and I don't think mother nature would be able to keep up with the demand if T. iboga were being used legally here.

I think its possible that with the legalization of such things, demand will create supply. People will grow once they know.

You do raise a valid point ouro but I think if ibogaine were legalised as a medicine one would hope that it would be grown specifically for this purpose. In fact in the long run it could even help iboga out and reduce pressure on wild populations in central Africa. It is getting scarcer and more expensive so in terms of economics it makes sense to grow it. A few people have got clear messages from iboga itself while in the midst of an experience that it would like to assist Man and spread it's influence beyond Africa. So hopefully this can be achieved in a sustainable fashion.

Good point. Yes, sustainable growth would complement this desire to legalize Iboga.

MAPS is a good precursor for setting the way of Ibogaine therapy.



http://www.maps.org/research/ibogaine/

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Its amazing how well it has been developing.

Food for thought...

Demand doesn't magically create supply, demand creates demand...supply follows in an attempt to meet/capitalize off of demand.

Currently Iboga is available in numerous countries and yet, poaching and entirely unsustainable methods are currently being utilized to acquire bark. Why? Because there is a demand for it, and there is profit to be made off of that demand. Poaching is easier/cheaper than growing.

Thus, we can see the current harvesting practices as byproducts of two main areas:
1) Desire for profit by poachers and other engaged in entirely unsustainable practices
2) The rationalization/justification that treatments of addicts trumps the health of ecosystems.

I don't personally think that US legalization will alleviate either of these issues. Nor do I believe that people who are touting demand as driving supply are considering the fact that there will be a lag between legalization and the time it takes for plants to be grown to maturity.

Efforts to grow iboga could be undertaken (and to my understanding, some farms have been started, or were at least slated to start) in places where it is currently legal. I think it would behoove people who are seriously interested in this to give that route serious consideration. What good is iboga legalization at the expense of the biodiverse ecosystem it endemic to and the cultures in which it has been traditionally used?

Hence my comment "people will grow once they know". Of course this would require legalization of growing and use. I apologize as I was not trying to state that it just happens automatically, but in the case of psychedelics so many in this type of community are extremely pro sustainability that I don't see this as an issue.

Any intelligent people that would have there hands in the process of available ibogaine treatment in a legalized scenario would be just as aware of the threatened supply.

And as you stated, grow farms are already slated in. It hasn't been that long since the ibogaine flood of demand really picked up. Now we are seeing efforts at increasing supply. Just as I said.

But are we?

I have no clue what the status of those farms is. Did they ever start? Does anyone know?

From what I've heard, the devastation of the rainforests to which iboga is endemic is still going on. I think it's premature to state that we are seeing efforts at increasing supply in any meaningful way, unless we have concrete data to share.

So after doing a short search I don't see any definitive evidence that there are iboga farms. Although I did find quite a few pages talking about different retreats plans to build farms. These were 2 years old. Hopefully they got it going!

I agree wholeheartedly!

I hope my comments weren't taken as harsh, or solely directed at you. I just think it's important to consciously examine and explore the current status before saying, "this can happen" or, "that will happen," especially when dealing with the issues at hand in this particular case.

I don't think you came off harsh at all. Even if you had I don't take such things personally. Also I agree, often times I write incorrectly which is a mirror of my verbal communication. When I say "this is this!" what I really mean is "I view this possibility!" I'm a work in progress hehe

I see a problem of commercially growing "newly legalised" plants in a different light : WHO will be growing them? The rich and the big companies.

As agriculture and land division makes almost impossible for small farmers to grow anything, this fate will be even more exaggerated for crops of high value.

If it legal, I hardly see that investors would be shy into investing, and paying under minimum wage farmers.

I signed it though.

PS
In short drug cartels in Mexico are doing a lots of "good"work employing communities, giving loans to poor people, thT the rolling class neglects. Had weed been legal nothing will happen. Vicente Fox ex Mex. Prez wants marijuana legal and has a plan to produce it on his huge ranch in Chiapas, and if legal poor farmers will go back to extreme powerty in no time.

These concerns about iboga's survival are definitely very important. I know organisations like the newly set up Ethnobotanical Stewardship Council have already been thinking about this. I will be meeting these guys at the World Aya Conference in Ibiza in September and I will be very sure to bring this up. Iboga can be quite fussy with regard growing conditions but I heard, or thought I'd heard, about successful growing attempts in South America. I think growing it somewhere where it is taking the pressure off wild African populations would still be a good first step. Or have sustainable plantations set up in central Africa to support local farmer's there. I don't think either of these are beyond the realms of possibility. The main priority initially should be to reduce over-harvesting of wild populations which is already happening.

I would love to be a part of that discussion

Also, do you have evidence regarding the reduction of over harvesting? It seems so hard to come by, I (and I'm sure others) would greatly appreciate any up-to-date info you have.

Ah of course you're going to be there aren't you! Well that can and should definitely be arranged!

A shaman friend of mine will be there too, think there may be some aya ceremonies being held on the beach at some point, maybe pre or post conference if that may be of interest... Think it will be a very interesting few days!

I really don't have any up to date information on iboga's status in the wild, and this may be difficult to ascertain. I know increased Western interest is making wild iboga scarcer as it generates such revenue. Many of the animals that act as natural seed vectors for the plant have been overhunted in many areas so it is having a harder time to regenerate than it otherwise would. Thus it is imperative that there be human intervention to assist iboga as it is entirely down to us that it in trouble. The ESC will be the peeps to speak to about its current status.