The 2020s will likely go down in the history books as the second U.S. psychedelic revolution. Efforts to reform drug laws around these mysterious substances seem to be facing much less pushback than those of the weed reform movement. In the last year, federal regulators began instructing scientists on psychedelic research, a bill was signed into law that ordered clinical trials and multiple states have seen regulated psilocybin treatment centers open.
Lawmakers across the country are now tripping over each other to become early adopters of psychedelic legalization, fantasizing about seeing their names printed in grade school history books—imagining what it will be like when they accept their Nobel prize.
At the ground level, Oregon opened psilocybin service centers last year. Patients from across the country have reportedly flown in to receive guided psychedelic treatments at a high price point.
Meanwhile, Colorado’s governor signed a bill last May that legalized psilocybin “healing centers.” He bragged in January that his state was the first to legalize recreational marijuana. “Now, thanks to our voters,” he said in his 2024 State of the State address, “we’re once again leading the nation on natural medicine, unfreezing 50-plus years of stifled research.”
At the federal regulatory level, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released research guidance for scientists looking to study psychedelics. The guidance highlighted things that researchers should consider before designing experiments, including trial conduct, data collection, subject safety and new drug application requirements.
This was a historic step, although it might have slipped past some radars. It’s not the most exhilarating read, but it is a flashing sign that things are about to happen in this field of study.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) last month said it’s looking for psychedelic studies to fund. In a news release, the VA said it had already conducted a limited number of small studies on drugs like MDMA and psilocybin. The department even sent clinicians to a psychedelics summit in Colorado.
On Capitol Hill, the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health held a first-of-its-kind hearing in November, addressing the need for breakthrough psychedelic therapies to treat veterans suffering from mental health issues.
That hearing might have helped get a historic provision passed as part of the national defense bill. Under the provision, the Department of Defense (DOD) is required to create a system to allow active-duty service members with PTSD or traumatic brain injuries to participate in clinical trials for psilocybin, MDMA, ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT.
“This will save lives and potentially revolutionize the way we treat all types of PTSD,” said Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), the bill’s lead sponsor, in a statement.
The race toward psychedelic legalization is heating up fast. If last year’s progress is anything to go by, we can expect to see even broader reforms get pushed this year. Keep an eye open, since changes will start to happen at an exponential rate from here on out.