Psychedelics & Marijuana For Active Military Members? Congress Urges More Research

Congress left marijuana banking reform out of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Tuesday.

However, a statement that accompanied a must-pass defense bill includes several drug policy reform components, with one of them revolving around the potential of “plant-based therapies” for military members, according to Marijuana Moment.

Lawmakers shed light on what provisions are either included or excluded from the NDAA package and why. Plus, they urged the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct a study and examine the “feasibility and advisability of conducting a study on the use of certain pharmacologic or potential plant-based therapies as alternatives to prescription opioids for the treatment of PTSD, TBI, or chronic pain.”

Even though marijuana or any specific psychedelics wasn't explicitly mentioned in the explanatory statement, the directive follows the part that addressed two related provisions to NDAA that were approved in the House version, concerning both substances.

The measure from Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) would provide the DOD the possibility of approving funding for research into the therapeutic power of a list of psychedelics (including MDMA, psilocybin, ibogaine & 5–MeO–DMT) for active duty service members suffering from PTSD.

The provision from Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) would allow research on marijuana’s therapeutic potential as an opioid alternative to those diagnosed with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries and severe pain.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) filed a nearly identical yet separate amendment to the NDAA, requiring the DOD to research psilocybin, MDMA and marijuana as alternatives to opioids for service members with those conditions.

Meanwhile, the congressional lawmakers said in the statement attached to the NDAA that the briefing needs to include an analysis of the following topics:

• “1. The types of therapies that could be included in the study
• 2. The quantitative and qualitative methodologies that could be used to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of such therapies
• 3. The proposed duration of a study
• 4. The estimated cost of a study
• 5. Whether the DOD could monitor study participants while the participants are on terminal leave after such participants have transitioned from military service to veteran status.”

The deadline to submit the analysis is March 1, 2023.

Photo: Courtesy of Chokniti Khongchum by Pexels