Addiction-fighting Iboga plant is disappearing from the wild
“I believe that iboga could disappear in the public domain in less than 5 years,” Guignon, an iboga specialist in Gabon, warns.
The expansion of treatment centers has the potential to help untold numbers of people suffering from addiction, but there is a major downside to the expanded profile: The iboga plant is disappearing. It was classified as a national heritage plant in Gabon in 2000, but it is currently considered threatened. Although people aren’t permitted to collect the plant without authorization from the government, there is nevertheless excessive harvesting. Guignon, an iboga specialist who lives in Gabon, notes that there are 160 million people in the world addicted to opioids. To meet the demand, the price of iboga has risen by 800 percent in the last decade, Guignon says. “I believe that iboga could disappear in the public domain in less than 5 years,” he warns. Other factors also contribute to the potential iboga shortage. Elephants are crucial for spreading iboga seeds, and they are disappearing in Gabon as well. Deforestation and climate change play roles, as does the increased urbanization of the human population.
Original Article (Reset.me):
Addiction fighting Iboga plant is disappearing from the wild
Artwork Fair Use: Messer Woland, Herr Kriss, Szczepan1990
