Colorado man's federal drug sentence comes months before expected state approval of ibogaine use

Ibogaine use in Colorado is spotlighted after a federal case in which Ameen Alai was sentenced for arranging ibogaine treatment that ended in the death of Andy Haman. CBS reports that Haman arrived at Alai's Broomfield home on March 19, 2021 for an at-home ibogaine session. Hours into dosing he had a seizure and stopped breathing, and he died despite CPR. The coroner attributed the death to ibogaine toxicity while listing other contributing factors including cardiac issues and recent medical surgery and possible sepsis. The story is set against Colorado's broader decriminalization of some natural psychedelics, with a state panel developing an oversight framework so professional ibogaine treatment could begin soon, even though ibogaine remains a Schedule I controlled substance federally.