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GOP Senator To File Bill Promoting Psychedelics Research And Treatment For Veterans

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3 months ago

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A new Senate bill is being introduced that would encourage research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, create a new office at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop innovative treatments for serious mental health illnesses, and help review the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA.

The legislation, titled the “Veterans Health Administration New Therapeutics Training Act,” is sponsored by Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT). According to bill text obtained by Marijuana Moment, it would direct the VA to take steps to ease studies on psychedelics and other emerging therapies.

This is one of the latest examples of Congressional efforts to encourage scientific research on psychedelics, focusing on military veterans with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic pain, and more.

The bill is expected to be formally introduced on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the planning. Marijuana Moment reached out to Sheehy’s office for comment, but a representative was not immediately available.

“Ongoing therapeutic interventions, including some psychedelic-assisted therapies, that have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration since the enactment of this Act could significantly change the landscape of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other mental health conditions affecting veterans,” the bill finds.

“The administration of certain emerging therapies may require intensive clinical engagement, interdisciplinary teams, dedicated clinical space, structured preparation and post-treatment integration that differ significantly from traditional outpatient mental health services,” he continues, adding that the VA is “uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive veteran-centered care that combines mental health, medical health services and support into a single system.”

That’s the only explicit mention of “psychedelics” in the legislation, and it doesn’t list the specific psychedelic substances that would be prioritized for research, but that’s a common feature of recent bills on the subject, with many other examples using catchy terminology, such as innovative or novel treatments or therapies that effectively serve as “substitutes for psychedelics.”

The measure would establish a new Office of New Therapeutics under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to facilitate research initiatives. Studies examining alternative treatments would focus on substances such as psychedelics that are being considered for approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“In the absence of centralized governance and implementation planning, the Department may experience delays, safety risks, or inconsistent access following regulatory approval of these therapies,” the bill’s findings section says. “Establishing a dedicated Office of New Therapeutics will enable the Department to proactively evaluate, research and implement emerging treatment modalities consistent with patient safety and evidence-based practice.”

There would be at least one “Center of Excellence” in each VA regional district to help develop a national model for the program facilitation initiative. A Veterans Advisory Board, made up of veterans, experts and health professionals, would be created to advise on issues such as access barriers and safety protocols.

VA should also coordinate with other federal agencies—including the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), FDA, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), Department of Defense (DOD), and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—to explore regulatory issues, possible rescheduling action for new therapies, and resources to provide psychiatric health care access and treatment.

The VA should provide annual reports to Congress to update lawmakers on its progress. Within 180 days of the bill’s passage, the department would have to report on practical issues, such as staffing needs and regulatory hurdles.

The bill is somewhat Similar intent to another bipartisan measure introduced earlier this monthSponsored by Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and David McCormick (R-PA), it would provide $30 million in annual funding to establish psychedelic-focused “centers of excellence” at VA facilities where veterans can receive innovative treatments involving substances such as psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine.

Supplemental version of the house bill—Sponsored by the Chair of the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI)—were introduced last year, but have yet to advance in the House. The measures of the House and Senate are very similar, with minor format differences.

Lawmakers and advocates supporting those reform bills have allies in senior Trump administration positions, including VA Secretary Doug Collins and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Secretary of HHS, both of whom have endorsed psychedelic policy reform.

Kennedy recently told Joe Rogan on a podcast episode The administration is “very keen” to create a pathway for novel therapies and that federal agency officials want to “get the public up to speed as quickly as possible.”

Multiple veterans groups also recently advised lawmakers in Congress about the need continue to explore psychedelics and marijuana as alternative treatments At hearings on Capitol Hill for the military veteran population. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) specifically cited the Innovative Therapy Centers of Excellence Act as an example of a reform they are supporting.

Correa and Bergman, the sponsors of this legislation, submitted separately in January also to promote research into the therapeutic potential of certain psychedelics in the treatment of serious mental health conditions experienced by veterans.

January’s bipartisan pair also discussed it the importance of strategically advancing psychedelic reform in a way that mitigates bureaucratic conflict and the influence of external interests. They said even a single mistake could threaten to turn the movement upside down.

Last year, VA Secretary He proclaimed his mission to promote access to psychedelics for veterans with serious mental health conditions, it was possible to say that it “opened that door wider than most probably thought”. The department came under fire in 2024 after rejecting an organization’s grant application It helps connect veterans to programs overseas where they can receive psychedelic therapy to treat serious mental health conditions.

Meanwhile, in November, Kennedy, Vice President JD Vance, FDA Commissioner and other Trump administration officials attended the “Make America Healthy Again” summit. it was a session dedicated to studying psychedelic medicine.

In June, Kennedy said that his agency “Fully committed” to expanding research into the benefits of psychedelic therapy. and, along with the head of the FDA, aims to give military veterans legal access to these substances “within 12 months.”

The secretary also said that in April He had a “wonderful experience” with LSD at the age of 15He took it because he thought they would be able to see dinosaurs, as depicted in a comic he was a fan of.

Last October, Kennedy specifically criticized the FDA under the previous administration for the agency’s “eradication of psychedelics” and a laundry list of other issues that he said was a “war on public health” that would end under the Trump administration.

read it the text Under the Veterans Health Administration’s New Therapeutics Training Act:

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Concert Series Specials launched for state medical cannabis patients

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5 hours ago

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June 8, 2026

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Post Dispensary, Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary, is connecting with patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Hopkinsville and surrounding areas by aligning unique specials with the region’s summer concert calendar. Located at 300 N Main St. in Beaver Dam, minutes from major highways connecting these vibrant cities.

This summer, The Post Dispensary is offering special pricing and incentives for Concert Series Events at the Beaver Dam Amphitheater, SPARKS in the Park 4th of July celebration and surrounding events, such as Owensboro’s ROMP Festival (June 24-27, 2026). Patients can stop by before or after shows for big savings.

“We’re more than just a booty,” said a dispensary representative. “From Owensboro’s world-class ROMP Festival to Beaver Dam’s Amphitheater events, we’re making it convenient and budget-friendly for patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Hartford and beyond to combine our love of music with compassionate care and an affordable product.”

The Post Dispensary hosts regular Patient Guidance events on the second Saturday of every month. These units have professionals on hand to assess patients and issue written certificates at low cost, application support and expert consultations in a welcoming environment. The next Patient Drive aligns perfectly with summer travel patterns, making it easy for patients from Owensboro, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Henderson, Madisonville and surrounding towns to plan a trip to Beaver Dam that combines care with community and entertainment.

For more information:
Post-Dispensary
thepostdispensary.com/










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Missouri GOP Lawmakers Hope Trump’s Psychedelics Order Boosts Efforts To Allow Military Veteran Access In The State

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6 hours ago

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June 8, 2026

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“Congratulations to President Trump for stepping up and taking the lead on this. PTSD is a killer among veterans.”

By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent

Missouri state representative Dave Griffith has spent the past five years researching how psychedelic-assisted therapy has helped veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

His last legislative session in the House ended this May, and he pushed legislation for the last time allow clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy in Missouri. In the final days of the session, the bill stalled in the Missouri Senate after passing the House with overwhelming support.

“I’m not going to be there next year, I’m term-limited,” said Griffith, a Republican who served as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committee. “It’s really about passing the torch to a lot of other veterans who are on the Veterans Commission and see the value in that.”

He was hopeful when he saw an announcement The US Department of Veterans Affairs announced last week a new clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy.or MDMA-assisted therapy. MDMA is a synthetic substance made in a laboratory, according to the department, and is also called “ecstasy” or “molly” in recreational use.

“Congratulations to President Trump for stepping up and taking the lead on this,” said Griffith of Jefferson City. “PTSD is a killer among veterans. If you just listen to the testimony that’s been happening over the last five years in the Missouri House, the life-changing it’s been for them is a compelling reason why something like this works.”

A new trial follows Trump signed an executive order in April, “Expediting Medical Treatment for Serious Mental Illness.” The order aims to increase participation in clinical trials and accelerate innovative research models and drug approvals for psychedelics.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate at least $50 million to support and collaborate with state governments that “have established or are developing programs to advance psychedelic drugs for serious mental illness.”

Without passing the legislation, Missouri will miss this opportunity, said Republican state representative Matthew Overcast of Ava.

Cloud hoped that Trump’s April order would help “grease the wheels” this year by state Rep. Richard West and state Rep. Richard West who sponsored the state to conduct a study on psilocybin and ibogaine therapy.

“The last couple of months there’s been a lot of feds on things that the states are reluctant to move forward with here,” Overcast said. “So it’s exciting.”

According to the VA’s announcement, the department is involved in 19 other active clinical trials focused on psychedelic therapies for mental health conditions that have received more than $23 million in outside funding.

The new trial, called “A Randomized Controlled Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder in US Veterans,” will enroll about 80 veterans and compare outcomes between those receiving MDMA-assisted therapy and those receiving the same psychotherapy with an active placebo. VA is coordinating with the US Food and Drug Administration and plans to share trial data with FDA.

The trial will be conducted at the VA Providence Healthcare System, and will recruit veterans from the Providence, Rhode Island, campus in West Haven, Connecticut, and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.

Trump’s executive order says there have been more than 6,000 veteran suicides per year for more than 20 years, and the current veteran suicide rate is twice that of the adult non-veteran population.

He says people with major depressive disorder and substance abuse disorder, among other serious mental illnesses, may relapse or fail to respond fully to standard medical and psychiatric therapies.

“Despite significant federal investment in research into potential advances in mental health care and treatment, our medical research system has yet to produce approved therapies that promote lasting improvements in the mental health status of the most complex patients,” the order states. “Innovative methods are needed to find long-term solutions for these Americans beyond existing prescription drugs.”

Missouri veterans John and Kara Grady, who own a hemp shop in Rosebud, strongly agree with the statement, they said. And they’d like to see Missouri’s veterans health system participate in clinical trials already underway.

“President Trump is opening up investigations for the veteran community,” said John Grady, “If you look at the numbers … we’ve lost more in the wars with mental health than we’ve lost.”

The lack of movement on psychedelic-assisted therapy legislation is among the reasons why John Grady is running for state representative over Bruce Sassmann in the state’s Republican primary.

“If you don’t agree with Trump on everything, at least he’s addressing this veteran issue right here,” Grady said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to stop that number, we’ll stop that flow of our precious veterans dying by their own hands because they don’t have treatment.”

This story was first published by the Missouri Independent.

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Germany’s medical cannabis imports post first quarterly decline since early 2024

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1 day ago

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June 7, 2026

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German imports of medical cannabis flowers fell to 50.5 tonnes in the first quarter of 2026, down from 60.8 tonnes in the previous quarter, the decline from the first quarter of 2024. According to a new EU and UK market update from Whitney Economics.

The drop lands against a year that went backwards. Germany took in more than 2025 tonnes of the product in 2025, more than double the 72,850 kilograms recorded in 2024, and import volumes have risen every year since 2018, when the figure remained below 4,500 kilograms. The first quarter number continues to match the high pace of 2025, which is why the report treats it as an early sign of stabilization rather than a turnaround.

Prices
The volume has not created a stable price. A gram of cannabis in a German pharmacy is approaching 4 euros, while a gram on the illegal market is around 8 euros, reversing the usual relationship between regulated and unregulated supply. The wholesale price is around 2 euros per gram, roughly half the retail price at the pharmacy. Pharmacy prices breached 3.99 euros in November 2025, and the report puts the overall compression close to 25% in two and a half years.

Germany legalized ownership in 2024 and restricted sales to pharmaceutical and telemedicine providers. Two access roads run parallel. Medical cannabis is mainly prescribed through private prescriptions, and recreational cannabis is available through membership of a cannabis association, with 400 licensed cultivation associations across the country, although the exact count varies by source. It is the medical segment that drives market growth, not the recreational segment.

Growth is based on telemedicine
 Patients fill out an online questionnaire, receive a prescription from an affiliated physician, and in many cases have their order filled through an integrated pharmacy partner, with delivery within days and, in some cities, within hours. Between 600,000 and 700,000 self-employed consumers are supported by the telemedicine industry, compared to 200,000 to 300,000 medical patients supported by pharmacies. Total imports are now sufficient to supply between 900,000 and one million consumers.

© Philiprowe | Dreamstime

Market exposure
Critics argue that commercial interests risk overshadowing the medical nature of the system, and treatment does not always meet the required standard of control. Legislative initiatives that would tighten the framework are already on the table, including mandatory in-person inquiries and a ban on distribution of mail requests. The likely result of both measures is a significant decline in demand for medical cannabis flowers. Many telemedicine companies are preparing for the opportunity by building networks with local doctors and pharmacies.

Where patients and consumers would go if medical access is curtailed is an open question, as the recreational market lacks a real alternative for patients and cannabis clubs continue to face licensing hurdles at the state level.

Part of the difficulty in reading the market is that import figures say less than they seem. More cannabis is entering the country than ever before, but how much is reaching consumers and what the actual demand is is unclear. Without a nationwide data framework, the market functions as a black box, and excess supply and actual demand are difficult to measure with great precision. Supply has tended to expand faster than the market can absorb, with no forecast to confirm mature demand, and prices have adjusted downward as a result.

Germany has had a signal effect across Europe since the start of its reform, although its model has drawn criticism, with the mixing of medical and recreational consumption a recurring complaint. Countries that have traditionally taken a conservative line, France among them, have gone to a more formalized medical field, under stricter conditions and without adopting the medical flower like Germany.

For more information:
Whitney Economics
Beau Whitney
(503) 724-3084
www.whitneyeconomics.com

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