(NewsNation) — Congress is advancing legislation that could include evaluating the use of marijuana and psychedelic for treating veterans.
Democratic Senators have worked to attach marijuana reform amendments to a must-pass defense bill, including one that would legalize medical cannabis for veterans. That would include protecting doctors who discuss medical marijuana with veterans or fill out paperwork to authorize it.
While many states have legalized medical or recreational cannabis, the drug is still illegal under federal law. The Biden administration has instructed the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate steps to reclassify the drug but at present, it is still under the most strict classification of being a Schedule I substance.
Senators have also worked to include provisions on evaluating the use of psychedelics in the National Defense Authorization Act. That includes requiring the Pentagon to conduct clinical trials on psychedelics for treating PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.
Like marijuana, psychedelics are classified as Schedule I substances, which are considered to have no medical use. However, recent research has indicated there is promise in using psychedelics to treat mental illness, particularly in those who have not been successfully treated with existing medications, such as antidepressants.
While Doctors have suggested psychedelics, including natural substances like mushrooms and lab-created ones like ecstasy, Doctors have stressed that treatment using psychedelics is not the same as recreational use and should be done under medical supervision.