U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Saturday intended to speed up access to medical research and treatment based on psychedelic drugs. The order instructs the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expedite the review of drugs such as ibogaine. U.S. military veteran groups have said ibogaine can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has championed the use of drugs such as ibogaine as an alternative treatment for mental health conditions like depression.
At an event in the Oval Office, federal officials said the reforms would pave the way for the drugs to be reclassified after successful clinical trials. These drugs can cause hallucinations and remain largely illegal today. Trump also announced that the United States would dedicate $50 million to federal research into ibogaine. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said decisions on the drugs could come as soon as this summer.
Ibogaine’s Current Legal Status and Medical Potential
Ibogaine is derived from a shrub native to Africa. It is a Schedule I substance in the United States, meaning the DEA deems it to have “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” Globally, ibogaine is sometimes used to treat mental health conditions in nations where it is legal or faces fewer restrictions. Mexico has ibogaine treatment centers that often attract U.S. veterans seeking care unavailable at home.
Flanked by U.S. military veterans including Marcus Luttrell and Representative Morgan Luttrell, a Texas Republican, Trump signed the order. Podcaster Joe Rogan stood directly behind him. Trump said ibogaine had come to his attention partly through Rogan’s efforts. Rogan devoted an episode of his show to advocates for the drug’s use in treating veterans. Officials on Saturday said there is now enough scientific evidence to justify the potential use of ibogaine as a mental health treatment.
“I’ve been hearing about it a little bit over the last year,” Trump said. “I never heard anything about it in the past. It was almost like, taboo. It’s not taboo anymore.” The executive order represents a significant shift in federal drug policy. Trump has often signed executive orders where legislation with more durable legal impact has failed. In December, he signed an order backing research into marijuana and cannabidiol, also classified as illegal substances.
Bipartisan Support for Psychedelic Drug Treatments
The December order instructed the U.S. attorney general to move ahead with reclassifying marijuana. That decision would represent one of the most significant federal changes to marijuana policy in decades. However, the Justice Department’s Drug Enforcement Administration has not yet reclassified the drug. During Saturday’s signing ceremony, Morgan Luttrell said he and others had unsuccessfully tried to pass legislation in Congress on psychedelic drug treatments.
After the signing, Luttrell and Representative Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican who formerly chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said they would also push for legislation on ibogaine. “We will continue working in Congress to build on the president’s leadership and expand access to this life-saving treatment,” the two said. “Our veterans answered the call for us. Now we must deliver for them.”
