Congress needs you! Well, at least two Congressmen do: They are seeking information on how best to consume psychedelics safely. Not because they want to trip themselves, but rather to help establish a regulated therapeutic access model for MDMA and psilocybin.
Representatives Jack Bergman, a Republican and former 3-star general, and Lou Correa, a Democrat who previously served in the California senate, have issued their own “Request for Information” through the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies Caucus, which they co-founded together.
The effort “may engender valuable insights that can more accurately and comprehensively characterize how different modalities incorporate the use of these substances while also ensuring responsible, accountable, safe, and ethical use,” Bergman and Correa said in an open letter issued to Congress.
Submissions from members of the public, recipients of psychedelic therapy, stakeholders, and mental health professionals will help build the evidence base on “the responsible, safe, and ethical use of psychedelics and entactogens in supervised settings for treating mental health conditions,” according to advocacy organization Apollo Pact.
“It will be vital to consider how Congress can best support states in developing and adopting scalable infrastructures and sustainable service delivery systems that ensure proper accountability and monitoring, as well as facilitate access and equity in utilization, with a particular focus on communities that may be at risk for experiencing inequities in care resulting in disparate health outcomes,” Bergman and Correa added.
READ: A Brand New Psychedelic Church Just Opened in Colorado
The letter, which was issued last month but only recently reported on, marks a new phase of the campaign to lobby for federal reforms of psychedelic policy – after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refused to approve MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in August, citing a lack of convincing data and issues around trial design.
Despite the FDA decision, which has disrupted the cultural momentum behind the drive to mainstream MDMA therapy, the Congressmen remain hopeful that the Veterans Affairs Department might make psychedelic therapy available through its hospitals and clinics. The House recently approved amendments to a bill that would allow VA doctors to issue medical cannabis recommendations for the first time, signaling that change is in the air.
“When federal agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs make these [psychedelic] products available, we need to be sure there is sufficient infrastructure to ensure patient safety,” Bergman and Correa said.
They also noted that some Indigenous communities of the Americas have “extensive traditions dating back hundreds to thousands of years, where they incorporated these substances into spiritual ceremonial or ritual healing practices.” They said that “respectful, inclusive, cultural knowledge sharing from these communities may provide substantial insights, further informing our overall understanding, and we welcome their input.”
Responses have been requested by November 5, 2024, to [email protected]. Congressman Morgan Luttrell, the only representative on record describing their experiences on psychedelics – he says ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT helped him overcome trauma following a combat helicopter training accident – will surely be asked for his views.
Meanwhile, members of a Minnesota psychedelic task force signed into law last year by governor Tim Walz – Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ running mate – recently recommended the creation of a state-regulated clinical psilocybin program in the state.
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DoubleBlind Magazine does not encourage or condone any illegal activities, including but not limited to the use of illegal substances. We do not provide mental health, clinical, or medical services. We are not a substitute for medical, psychological, or psychiatric diagnosis, treatment, or advice. If you are in a crisis or if you or any other person may be in danger or experiencing a mental health emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency resources. If you are considering suicide, please call 988 to connect with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
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