Ten years of therapy in one night (article about iboga and heroin) . . .

[OneBlueSky]

(re-posting this at the suggestion of someone who replied to the original post . . . I didn't follow the guidelines for a properly descriptive heading . . . my apologies . . . )

about a substance called iboga . . . seems it can have quite an effect, particularly if you're a junkie . . .

Ten years of therapy in one night

Could a single trip on a piece of African rootbark help a junkie kick the habit? That was the claim in the 1960s, and now iboga is back in the spotlight. But is it a miracle cure? Daniel Pinchbeck decided to give it a go. And life, he says, will never be the same again...

Saturday September 20, 2003
The Guardian

"In 1962, Howard Lotsof, a 19-year-old heroin addict in New York, ordered from a chemist iboga, a plant used in West African rituals, and tried it for extra kicks. After consuming the bitter rootbark powder, he experienced a visionary tour of his early memories. Thirty hours later, when the effects had subsided, he found that he had lost all craving for heroin, without withdrawal symptoms of any kind. He said he then gave iboga to seven other addicts and five stopped taking drugs immediately afterwards."

- much more . . .

http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/healthmindandbody/story/0,6000,1045038,00.html

[mmm]

1. WOW! That's quite a story

First I've heard of the stuff.

[lcordero]

2. If it affects REM sleep in that way then I am interested in

looking into it.