Texas legislature approves bill to study psychedelics to treat PTSD in veterans

Just in time for Memorial Day, the Texas legislature has approved a bill to study the use of psychedelic drugs for medical treatment of military veterans.

On Sunday, a proposal called HB 1802 passed both houses in the Lone Star State, which would approve the study of MDMA, ketamine, and psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic” mushrooms, for medical uses, including a psilocybin clinical trial treating vets with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“Psychedelic medicine has the potential to completely change society’s approach to mental health treatment, and research is the first step to realizing that transformation,” said representative Alex Dominguez, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, in a statement. “It’s said that ‘as goes Texas, so goes the nation.’ While states across the country consider how best to address the mental health crisis facing our nation, I hope they once again look to Texas for leadership.”