Alongside psilocybin, ibogaine is steadily becoming one of the most popular topics in the psychedelic space. New government-backed research initiatives, trailblazing studies and an increasing number of successful treatment cases have made the natural psychoactive drug attract unprecedented attention.
As a result, retreat centres that facilitate ibogaine therapy have also been attracting the spotlight in countries such as Costa Rica, Canada, and Mexico in particular.
One notable therapy complex in Cancun has been pulling alot of eyes in the media and receiving admiration for its work with veterans, first responders, people suffering from substance use disorders, mental health patients and those seeking spiritual fulfilment.
Tom Feegel, founder and CEO of the Beond ibogaine therapy facility, was inspired to create his centre after witnessing the profound impact ibogaine had on a family member. But, despite their transformative treatment, the way that the location where they received it operated was questionable in multiple regards.
“They had a shift in their brain chemistry, no longer wanted any chemicals or illicit drugs,” Feegel explained in an interview. “They also had a new perspective on the pain of the past and very meaningful insight into the purpose of their existence.”
The California native said that the change he witnessed was one of the most incredible things he had ever observed, but that the place they went, 16 years ago, was highly substandard.
“It had no clinical infrastructure, no therapeutic coaching, no real hospitality environment,” he added. “It was just, not good.”
Long story short, Feegel set out to make a top-notch retreat centre capable of providing guests with a five star experience, and eventually Beond was established in Quintana Roo.
Since its inception, Beond has been featured in stories from major outlets like The Washington Post and Forbes. Most recently, the facility was the subject of a veteran-focused Fox News documentary on the profound impact of ibogaine therapy.
Feegel and his co-workers have been observing a steady increase in the number of veteran guests.
Veterans who recently experienced ibogaine therapy at the retreat centre. Photo credit: Beond
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Veteran therapy uptake at Beond rises since 2023
Feegel explained that the number of U.S. military service vets visiting the complex has been ascending ever since Kentucky proposed allocating US$42 million to ibogaine research two years ago.
“That was the very beginning, and it’s just been a steady uptick of awareness and inquiries since that time,” he said. “The increase has been significant.”
This proposal by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission ultimately fell through due to leadership changes, debates over resource allocation, safety concerns and political opposition. But last month, Texas solidified its position as national leader by agreeing to invest even more into ibogaine drug development trials. The aim of the US$50-million-dollar initiative is to combat PTSD, addiction and traumatic brain injuries.
Former Lone Star State Governor and American Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry, is a prominent Texan politician who has been very vocal about the necessity of ibogaine for veterans. He has personal experience using the psychedelic too.
“It has literally given people their lives back,” Perry said recently.
“I’ve heard the stories, studied the research, and looked these veterans and warfighters in the eye — men who came back from ibogaine treatment in Mexico healed and finally whole.”
Ibogaine capsule. Photo credit: Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines
Moreover, the Navy SEAL veteran credited with killing Osama bin Laden described last month how the natural drug has been a life changer for him. Like Perry and those in Texas, Robert O’Neill thinks U.S. veterans should be entitled to receive ibogaine treatment.
Furthermore, a study completed by Stanford University last year regarding the impact of ibogaine on veterans at a Mexican clinic is an additional key factor that has been drawing interest in the military community. They received the therapy at another facility run by Ambio Life Sciences in Rosarito, Baja California peninsula.
Despite the positive results many veterans have gotten from the psychedelic, Mexican retreats are expensive. This is of concern for those who may be suffering and seeking help, but lack the resources to make the trip possible. Generally speaking, the average cost for a 5 to 12 day program is about US$9,250.
“We have 11 full time doctors, 23 ICU certified nurses and nine full-time therapeutic coaches,” Feegel highlighted, explaining what makes running one of these facilities so expensive. Additionally, unlike other psychedelics that require less oversight, ibogaine can potentially be dangerous when it isn’t administered with the utmost care due to its specific dosing requirements and effect on a patient’s heart.
To make ibogaine treatment more accessible to those who need it most, Beond has been offering the therapy to veterans, first responders and their spouses at no cost through a program called Beond Service. It’s an extensive healing workshop, lasting nine weeks.
“It’s very expensive to do, but we feel like it’s the right thing to do,” Feegel highlighted, “and it’s very meaningful for our professional staff to be a part of that.”
Beond Service program participant. Photo credit: Beond
Read more: Texas makes its mark on psychedelics sector with US$50M in ibogaine research funding
Treating traumatic brain injury is another focal point at Beond
Feegel says the outcomes for TBI patients at Beond have been exceptional. For veterans particularly, but also for many ordinary people, athletes, etc.
The special ops veteran participants of Stanford’s recent investigation, published in Nature Medicine and Nature Mental Health, all reported immense reductions in their post-head trauma symptoms as a result of the treatment. Eighty-six per cent of them returned to pre-TBI levels of cognition while reporting an average reduction in PTSD symptoms of 88 per cent and drop in depression of 87 per cent.
Beond has also been seeing an increasing number of patients who have been negatively impacted by combat sports, football, skiing and other risky activities.
“More and more people are coming who are civilians, who have had traumatic brain injuries in civilian life,” he explained.
“They see a radical reduction in symptom levels [post-treatment],” Feegel added. “They have better cognitive clarity, improved focus, superior emotional regulation.”
Retired MMA fighter Ian McCall recently received ibogaine therapy for TBI at the complex. Photo credit: Beond
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Beond to consider setting up U.S. facilities should environment improve
Ibogaine is currently a Schedule I drug in the United States. Should this change, Feegel stated that Beond would “definitely” consider setting up additional retreat centres north of Cancun.
“I certainly hope that President Donald Trump and RFK Jr. could help to reschedule ibogaine,” he said. “It would significantly reduce the barriers to research in the United States.”
Certain states like Colorado, which has begun administering psilocybin in clinical settings after passing legislation to do so, already have ibogaine treatment in their line of sight. Regulated treatment with the psychoactive therapeutic in the state could potentially become a reality by the end of 2026.
“We are following the policy changes and the individual policy makers in Colorado very closely,” Feegel recently told the Colorado Sun.
Beond sources its ibogaine from a licensed pharmaceutical lab in South Africa. It is derived from the locally sourced Voacanga africana plant. The team at the facility say that it is a superior option to obtaining the alkaloid from the more renowned Tabernanthe iboga shrub.
“Tabernanthe iboga is not sustainable to source from and Beond feels ethically that it should be left to the Gabonese locals,” a Beond representative explained in a statement.
The majority of the world’s ibogaine centres are located in Mexico due to its legal status there and proximity to the United States. Aside from Beond and Ambio Life Sciences, notable facilities in the country include the Genesis Ibogaine Institute, the Experience Ibogaine Treatment Center and Casa Santa Isabel.
Feegel with MAPS founder Rick Doblin (left), Beond co-founder and spouse Talia Eisenberg (centre-right) and Beond Research Director Shirley Cheung (right) at this year’s Psychedelic Science Conference in Colorado. Photo credit: Beond
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