An executive order by Trump on psychedelics could have significant implications for scientific research
A new executive order may simplify research efforts into the medical benefits of psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, LSD, and ibogaine.
Psilocybe mushrooms at a lab in British Columbia in 2021.
James MacDonald/Bloomberg/Getty Images
President Donald Trump issued a new executive order aiming to speed up research into psychedelics and their potential for treating mental health issues. Experts believe this directive could accelerate studies on the medical applications of psychedelic and hallucinogenic substances like MDMA, psilocybin, LSD, and ibogaine.
The order is seen as “timely” by Frederick Barrett, who leads the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins University. “If this executive order can help us to really push forward promising therapies more quickly, then I think that is a good thing,” he comments.
The directive calls for a swift evaluation and possible approval of psychedelics for medical purposes, potentially easing the research process. It also proposes a $50 million allocation to support state research on psychedelics, including ibogaine, which is found in a Central African plant. Preliminary studies suggest ibogaine might help with depression and substance disorders, although it can have severe side effects.
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The National Institutes of Health estimates that 15.4 million U.S. adults suffer from severe mental illness. Veterans face particular risks, with research indicating suicide rates are almost double that of the general population. Current medications, like SSRIs for depression, aren’t always effective or accessible. Many researchers advocate for psychedelics as potentially more effective treatments. Clinical trials have shown promising results for psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD in addressing mental health issues.
Alan Davis, who directs the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at Ohio State University, states, “We need better treatments. We need to be able to help people, and I think psychedelic therapies will offer a new way in which to do that.”
Research into these drugs faces challenges due to their classification as Schedule I substances by the U.S. government, meaning they are viewed as dangerous with high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Possession is often federally criminalized, complicating research efforts.
As a result, few psychedelic treatments are approved in the U.S. Notably, MDMA faced setbacks in 2024 when the FDA rejected its approval for PTSD treatment due to flawed research.
FDA approval of these drugs would simplify research, according to Davis. “You would change the requirements involved, which means we could do a lot more research for a lot less money on those treatments.”
Davis hopes the executive order indicates a shift in government policy. “It is really quite remarkable that a sitting president has made this statement as part of official executive orders,” he says.
“That act, in and of itself, is, I think, going to really escalate the research in this space,” he adds, “and hopefully make these treatments available to people that need them as quickly as possible.”
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