Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) unveiled legislation that would create a grant program for research into the use of psychedelics for active-duty service members suffering from brain injuries or mental trauma stemming from their service.
The legislation, the Douglas “Mike” Day Psychedelic Therapies to Save Lives Act, is named in honor of former Navy SEAL Mike Day, who took his life earlier this year. Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL himself, introduced this legislation as a way to look at treating mental illness stemming from military service.
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The bill would direct the Department of Defense to create a grant program to research the use of psychedelics in treating active-duty service members for post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and traumatic brain injury.
The psychedelic substances eligible for use in the trials are psilocybin, DMT, MDMA, and ibogaine. The bill would authorize $15 million for trials each fiscal year between fiscals 2024 and 2028, totaling about $75 million.
“Mike's personal struggle wasn't an isolated case. More than 20 veterans killed themselves every day,” Crenshaw said. “27% of post 9/11 veterans are diagnosed with PTSD, and the truth is we have not made much progress in treating it. We have to think outside the box, we have to do something new. So, that's why I'm once again calling on Congress to use this year's NDAA to direct the Secretary of Defense to provide grants for further research into the use of psychedelics to treat PTSD and TBI in our active duty service members.”
The bill passed out of the House last Congress but ultimately died in the Senate. Crenshaw’s hope is to get the bill in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.
The bill has garnered bipartisan support from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and support from former Navy SEALs such as Reps. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), Ryan Zinke (R-MT), and Derrick Van Orden (R-WI). It also has the support of Freedom Caucus member Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an average of 16.8 veterans committed suicide daily in 2020. In the same year, when adjusted for age and sex, the suicide rate for veterans was 57.3% greater for veterans than for adults who are not veterans, the department found. The department also found that every 7 out of 100 veterans will have PTSD.
Crenshaw said he wants this legislation to pass to give service members another way to treat PTSD and other traumatic brain injuries that stem from their time overseas, and he said he believes psychedelic treatment can work.
“If I hadn't gone through it, my son would have a folded flag, and instead, he has a father. I think we need more for mothers and fathers,” said Jonathan Lubecky, a veteran and the veterans and governmental affairs director for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.
Luttrell, a former Navy SEAL, said he went overseas to receive this treatment after he left the military. The psychedelics he was given were ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT.
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The treatment changed his life and saved his marriage and is “one of the greatest things that ever happened to me,” he said.
“If you find yourself in a place that you are lost, and no other modalities have worked, this could possibly be that tool,” Luttrell said. “And I can honestly stand in front of all of you and the American public and say I was reborn.”