#40 - Dr. Lola Ohonba: A Yoruba Herbalist Talks Ibogaine

Dr. Lola Ohonba is a clinical pharmacist, plant medicine pharmacology expert, counselor, professor, and lifelong herbalist. She is also the founder and CEO of WCI Health, where she consults with people who are seeking guidance in using cannabis, psychedelics, and other plant medicines as a part of their health and wellness journey. Dr. O is public speaker, the best-selling author of A Pharmacist’s Guide to Cannabis: Perspectives of a Non-Conformist Clinician and the host of the podcast, Let’s Talk Plant Medicine: Cannabis, Psychedelics and Pharmaceutics.

What We Discuss

• What makes Dr. O a “non-conformist” clinician

• How Dr. O became interested in the medicinal qualities of cannabis (and later psychedelics)

• Growing up with plant medicine as the norm as an Indigenous herbalist of the Yoruba people of West Africa

• How Dr. O’s experience as a counselor lends itself to her work as a pharmacist and consultant

• The notion of “plants over pills,” and why it’s an oversimplification

• Harm Reduction: Comparing ibogaine to conventional pharmaceuticals

• Voacanga africana: An important relative of Tabernanthe iboga

• Why we can’t treat ibogaine like other plant and fungi medicines

• The role of synthetic ibogaine

• PsychEntheo, Dr. O’s new consulting platform

Why It’s Important

Dr. Lola Ohonba brings a unique blend of scientific expertise and Indigenous wisdom to the conversation about ibogaine and psychedelics. As a clinical pharmacist and lifelong herbalist from the Yoruba people of West Africa, Dr. O’s insights bridge the gap between conventional pharmaceuticals and traditional plant medicine. Her non-conformist approach challenges mainstream perspectives, offering valuable reflections on harm reduction, the complexities of ibogaine, and the future of psychedelic medicine.

Relevant Links

• WCI Health website
• PsychEntheo Health (Dr. O’s new platform)
• Let’s Talk Plant Medicine Podcast
• Dr. Lola Ohonba on LinkedIn
• WCI Health on Instagram
• WCI Health LinkTree