The President Joe Biden is set to sign a large-scale bill on defense that includes provisions to finance studies into the therapeutic uses of psychedelics like psilocybin or MDMA by military service members.
The Senate approved the NDAA 2024 on Wednesday, and the House voted in agreement on Thursday. It was then sent to the President.
The final agreement maintained provisions for psychedelics that had been attached to the House version during the summer. Morgan Luttrell, R-TX, was a strong advocate of these provisions. House negotiators retreated on a section that would create a pilot medical cannabis program for veterans.
The adopted psychedelics sections would, meanwhile require the Department of Defense to establish a procedure by which servicemen with post-traumatic-stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries could participate in clinical trial involving psilocybin MDMA, ibogaine, and 5-MeO DMT. The list of psychedelics covered was also expanded in order to include “qualified alternative therapies.”
DOD must facilitate this process within 180 calendar days after the law’s enactment. The $10 million funding could be used to partner with federal or state agencies as well as with academic institutions in order to conduct clinical trials.
Luttrell stated in a news release that he was “honored” to see his amendments and priority items accepted into the final bill. These included clinical trials for psychedelic therapies to treat PTSD and support for TBI Research, among other provisions which will make the United States safer and stronger. This legislation will help America meet security challenges with a lethal and ready approach.
The FY24 NDAA was officially passed by the House and Senate. This strengthens our military and boosts the defense of this great country. pic.twitter.com/oJZhNWqeDJ
— Congressman Morgan Luttrell December 14th, 2023
According to the legislation the defense secretary must provide legislators with a detailed report on the trial results and participants within one year after the legislation is passed, and then every year thereafter for a period of three years.
The medical cannabis pilot program, which was originally attached to the House NDAA as part of an amendment by Rep. Nancy Mace(R-SC), was not included in the final conference agreement.
DOD was required to study the effects of marijuana on veterans and servicemen who are beneficiaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA participant had to have been diagnosed with PTSD or depression, or prescribed pain medication.
Before the floor was considered, the Armed Services Committee attached the psychedelics provisions and medical cannabis. Members then filed dozens more drug policy reforms amendments before the chamber passed its version of NDAA. The House Rules Committee , however, blocked most of the proposals from being considered on the floor .
In the meantime, the Senate had added language to its NDAA legislation that would have prohibited intelligence agencies such as CIA and NSA to deny security clearances solely based on applicants’ past marijuana use. This was part of a separate bill that had been amended by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR, to include the cannabis protection.
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The conference report mentions that the Intelligence Authorization Act was included in NDAA. However, it is silent about the cannabis provision.
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee, however, passed in September a bipartisan standalone bill that would prohibit the denial or refusal of federal employment and security clearances because a candidate has used marijuana.
Other cannabis Amendments to the Senate NDAA such as that proposed by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-HI, to allow veterans to use medical marijuana, were not approved.
Separately , the House approved psychedelics reforms by Luttrell (R-TX), and Rep. Dan Crenshaw(R-TX), that are similar in nature to NDAA sections. These reforms were part of the fiscal year 2024 DOD appropriations legislation. It is yet to be determined if these provisions, which are largely identical, will be included in the final spending legislation.
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The article Congress sends Biden defense bill that would fund studies into psychedelics therapy for active duty military first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
