AOC Amendment Would Make the Military Study Psychedelics as PTSD Treatment

New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) has introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would require the Department of Defense to study the therapeutic potential of psilocybin and MDMA for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), Marijuana Moment reports.

The measure builds on language already in the funding bill that mandates the agency study cannabis as a potential substitute for opiates and the amendment’s language is similar — almost identical — to an amendment previously introduced by Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL).

Additionally, another provision already in the fiscal 2023 NDAA reserves the right for service members with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, or any other condition with severe pain to participate in medical cannabis research, the Moment noted.

AOC’s proposal for the NDAA comes at a time when the House Appropriations Committee is also looking to investigate the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. The committee passed appropriations language on Thursday calling for research into psilocybin and MDMA as treatment options for PTSD and severe depression, as well as another section discussing psychedelics as a therapeutic option for combat veterans, Marijuana Moment reported previously.

Another federal report for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CSJ) released last month calls for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate and report back within a year about barriers facing local, tribal, and state psilocybin research programs.