President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday directing the FDA to accelerate approval of psychedelic-based treatments, marking a significant shift in federal drug policy toward compounds long classified as controlled substances.
The order targets drugs including ibogaine, a substance derived from an African shrub root that military veteran groups have championed as a potential therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. Trump announced $50 million in federal funding dedicated to ibogaine research, with the reforms designed to clear a regulatory pathway for drugs that produce hallucinations to be reclassified following successful clinical trials.
The initiative will immediately benefit Texas, which has already committed $50 million of its own to studying ibogaine's medical applications. Researchers have indicated the compound may also address opioid and other substance abuse disorders.
Trump struck a lighthearted tone at the Oval Office event, quipping about taking psychedelics himself while joking about depression. "If these turn out to be as good as people are saying, it's going to have a tremendous impact on this country and other countries, too," Trump said.
The announcement drew Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and podcaster Joe Rogan to the signing ceremony. Kennedy has previously accused the FDA of what he termed aggressive suppression of psychedelic research, positioning him as a natural ally for the administration's deregulatory approach. Rogan has long advocated for responsible psychedelic use and legalization efforts.
The executive order represents a major departure from decades of federal opposition to hallucinogenic compounds. The timing coincides with growing momentum in medical research circles around psychedelic-assisted therapies for mental health conditions, though questions remain about safety protocols and implementation timelines.
Author James Rodriguez: "This move signals the White House is willing to overturn decades of psychedelic prohibition, but the real test will be whether the FDA actually accelerates approvals or buries them in bureaucratic review."
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