As research on psychedelics continues to grow, with more and more U.S. regions even looking ahead to allow voters to decide if certain psychedelic substances like psilocybin should be decriminalized or legalized in their jurisdictions, it appears that even some Republican leaders are getting on board.
Representatives Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) testified before a key House committee voicing their support of amendments promoting psychedelic research for military service members in a large-scale defense bill, Marijuana Moment reports. They spoke about their measures at a House Rules Committee meeting, as members determined which of the nearly 1,200 filed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) will be made and considered by the floor.
Gaetz’s measure builds on an existing provision, already attached to the must-pass bill in the House Armed Service Committee. The initial provision, from Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA) calls for a Department of Defense study into cannabis as an alternative treatment to opioids for service members with specific health conditions. Gaetz’s amendment would expand that to include psilocybin and MDMA.
The original cannabis amendment specifies that those eligible to participate in the cannabis study would be limited to service members with post-traumatic stress disorder, a traumatic brain injury or “any other condition involving severe pain.”
Gaetz has been vocal about his support for cannabis legalization and interest in psychedelic reform in the past and said he introduced the measure, “because I’ve seen extensive evidence regarding the ability of psilocybin and MDMA to be very helpful to veterans going through PTSD and other forms of traumatic brain injury.”
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has a very similar, but separate amendment, filed to the NDAA. Gaetz recognized the similarities in the bills during the Rules meeting, stating that he didn’t hear back after seeking co-sponsorship from Ocasio-Cortez’s office on his proposal. He added that he was surprised to see that she later filed her own bill.
But Gaetz said he doesn’t care who gets credit, so long as it is passed.
“I would just like to see those medical opportunities and those research opportunities available for many veterans,” he said.
Crenshaw’s amendment would allow the secretary of defense to approve grants for research investigating the therapeutic potential of psychedelics like MDMA, psilocybin, ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT for active-duty members of the military with PTSD. Crenshaw is a veteran and pointed to the significant advancements for veterans suffering from mental health conditions, though he said that these triumphs can’t “turn into complacency,” noting that it’s important to push forward and continue looking at new advancements.
The amendment would facilitate studies into the medical potential of psychedelics and help to pave a new path toward a “new and innovative way to treat our service members,” Crenshaw said, giving them a change to continue serving and seek treatment that will improve their function “not just in uniform, but in life.”
Crenshaw noted that the Rules Committee had the opportunity a year ago to pass the law but ultimately didn’t. The text has not been revised since last year.
“We cannot lose another year with suicides rates the way they are. We should not be forcing our service members or veterans to use nonprofits and go down to Mexico to get this treatment to save their lives. We should be looking into it, at least, ourselves,” Crenshaw said.
He added that the amendment only starts pilot programs and the studies to do so, noting that it’s a small but necessary start. “We can’t lose another year in doing so,” he said. He also said this is not trying to decriminalize or legalize psychedelic substances, rather that it is looking ahead to explore a treatment option that numerous veterans have voiced could be life changing.
Crenshaw’s legislative record, up until recently, hasn’t been the most friendly to drug policy reform, though he moderated a conversation with a top psychedelics reform advocate last year and said that a veteran’s account of MDMA therapy “sounds amazing.”
