AUSTIN (KXAN) — Scientists and legislative activists will meet Tuesday night to discuss the current state of the use of psychedelic substances to treat mental health conditions.
Over the last decade, the use of psychedelic substances has evolved from taboo to be considered by many a legitimate treatment option for psychiatric disorders. Specifically, many veterans with treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder have increasingly considered these substances to get better.
“There’s definitely been a shift in the openness and the receptivity of the field to this type of research,” said Greg Fonzo, Ph.D., co-director of the McGill Center for Psychedelic Research & Therapy at Dell Medical School.
“People that do undergo this treatment process, some of them do respond well and have a good benefit in terms of symptom reductions and feeling better,” Fonzo, who will speak at Tuesday night’s event, said.
Fonzo has a couple of studies up and running at UT Austin looking at psilocybin’s, the psychoactive component in “magic mushrooms,” effect on treatment-resistant depression. He and his team have two more in the works — one looking at psilocybin’s effect on postpartum depression and one exploring LSD for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.
Texas lawmakers approved legislation in 2021 that allows studies of psychedelic drug treatments for veterans. House Bill 1802 passed with bipartisan support.
Bryan Hubbard, the REID Foundation’s Executive Director of the American Ibogaine Initiative, is hoping the Texas Legislature might consider pushing forward in 2025 legislation related to ibogaine, a naturally occurring psychoactive substance shown in some research to be effective in treating PTSD and addiction.
“The hope is that the Texas Legislature will consider appropriating $50 million out of its $20 billion budget surplus to create a public-private partnership, whereby the state’s money would be matched by the funds of a drug developer,” Hubbard said.
Hubbard recently joined former Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Joe Rogan’s podcast to discuss the substance and legislative efforts. Perry has been outspoken in his support of psychedelic drugs for the treatment of PTSD in veterans.
Hubbard said that his team has drafted ibogaine legislation and is looking for lawmakers to partner with. He hopes legislation can be filed soon.
“Between the political leadership and the medical and scientific know-how, there is a fabulous opportunity for Texas to lead the nation [in this treatment],” Hubbard said.
