U.S. military personnel will start being tested for psilocin, a chemical found in psychedelic mushrooms, on October 1, 2025, Marijuana Moment reports.
The change stems from a memo last month containing updates to the Pentagon’s drug policy, which cited “the risk of impairment and subsequent deterioration of security, military fitness, readiness, good order and discipline” as justification for adding psilocin to the drug panels.
“The Department of Defense maintains a zero tolerance policy prohibiting drug use, and we remain committed to continually expanding drug testing capabilities and enhancing our education and prevention efforts by providing effective information on drug misuse, including the use of Psilocin.” — Statement by DOD official, via Marijuana Moment
The change comes as veterans are increasingly looking to psychedelics like psilocybin — another psychedelic found in magic mushrooms — and MDMA as potential sources of relief from treatment-resistant conditions like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Meanwhile, psychedelic mushrooms remain a Schedule I substance, which is supposed to be reserved for drugs with “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” That hasn’t stopped states like Oregon and Colorado, however, from legalizing and regulating medicinal access to psilocybin at the state level.
In 2024, the Army started testing service members for delta-8 THC.
