No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeHallucinogenic healthIboga clinic attracts “Kardashian" celebrity, scrutiny from Costa Rica officials

Iboga clinic attracts “Kardashian” celebrity, scrutiny from Costa Rica officials

Can you hallucinate your way to sobriety? “Keeping up with the Kardashians” regular Scott Disick is about to find out.

The reality star Disick came to Costa Rica this week not for beaches and zip lining but rather a controversial rehab treatment. Kourtney Kardashian’s on-again-off-again beau and father of her three children checked into the Rythmia Life Advancement Center in Hacienda Pinilla, Guanacaste to try to conquer his alcoholism with shaman-guided trips using iboga, a root from West Africa outlawed in the United States.

Iboga and its chemical derivative, ibogaine, is not illegal in Costa Rica but the substance is also not regulated. The gray area occupied by the African root here has some drug officials concerned about possible health risks after Judicial Investigation Police have blamed at least one death on the drug.

The Rythmia Life Advancement Center claims that iboga is an effective alternative to treat a bevy of drug-related dependencies, from alcohol to crystal meth, as well as non-drug related struggles, like post-traumatic stress disorder, sex addiction and hepatitis C.

The drug classified as Schedule 1 by U.S. authorities is consumed as a tea or a capsule and can induce vomiting.

In one testimonial video on the center’s website, a man who introduces himself as Jack says that a 10-day treatment there cured his alcoholism.

“I feel great,” Jack says, “I’m looking forward to starting my life over again and getting home to my family and being the father and husband I should have been.”

The price of an iboga treatment at the Rythmia clinic ranges from $999 to $1299 a day for programs that range from seven to 21 days, according to a quote the company’s Malibu, California office sent to The Tico Times.

Guillermo Araya, director of the Costa Rican Drug Institute (ICD), an arm of the Presidency Ministry, told The Tico Times that his office was concerned about the lack of oversight at the country’s self-described iboga clinics. In 2014, ICD informed the Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse that at least four businesses were offering iboga treatments in Guanacaste.

The Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) confirmed to the daily La Nación that a Norwegian tourist, Vente Soldberg, died in 2014 from a heart attack related to consuming ibogaine at a clinic called Iboga House. Iboga House closed afterwards and has since merged with Rythmia Life Advancement Center.

No word yet as to whether or not cameras will be following Disick down the rabbit hole.

Trending Now

FIFA Probes El Salvador Over Fan Racism in Suriname World Cup Qualifier

FIFA launched a disciplinary case against El Salvador's football federation after fans directed racist insults at Suriname players during a recent Concacaf 2026 World...

UN Pressures Honduras for Justice in Juan López Case

One year after environmental activist Juan López was gunned down, the United Nations office in Honduras pressed authorities to track down and charge those...

Costa Rica’s South Pacific Emerges as Prime Drug Route

Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Agency flags the southern Pacific coast as the top spot for drug smugglers. Officials point to four main entry points...

Panama Starts Talks on Gas Pipeline Linking U.S. and Asia

The Panama Canal expects to begin construction of a gas pipeline in 2027, a project whose first formal talks with companies interested in participating...

Costa Rica Sees Drop in Tourism Amid Safety and Currency Concerns

International tourist arrivals to Costa Rica dropped by 2.3% between January and August compared to the same period in 2024, according to the Costa...

First Woman to Deliver Mexico’s Grito de Dolores Marks a Historic Moment

Claudia Sheinbaum will make history today by becoming the first woman to lead Mexico’s traditional Independence Day “Grito de Dolores” from the presidential balcony...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica