The psychedelic renaissance continues to gain legitimacy, supported by the most unlikely of allies — the United States military.
This week a bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers from both the House and the Senate have agreed to add funding for studies of psychedelic therapies into a major defense bill.
The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed on Wednesday and included the provision for psychedelics research introduced by Republican lawmakers like Rep. Morgan Luttrell of Texas.
The bill’s psychedelic sections require the Department of Defense (DOD) to facilitate access for military veterans to clinical trials for the treatment of PTSD or traumatic brain injury. The provisions allow for participating in studies using psilocybin, MDMA, ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT (and “qualified plant-based alternative therapies”).
This isn’t a suggestion but a requirement, one that forces the Department of Defense to facilitate access for military service members, in addition to providing $10 million in funding, and partnerships with agencies and academic institutions doing psychedelic research.
Another major step forward for institutional acceptance of psychedelic therapies.
The times they are indeed a changing
