With a growing body of research on the use of psychedelics to treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions, a new political action committee seeks to elect candidates who support using psilocybin, ketamine and MDMA for therapeutic reasons. Via NBC News:
The founders behind the newly formed Psychedelic Medicine PAC also aim to secure federal funding to further education and research efforts at a time of increased scrutiny over the dangerous side effects of opioids, especially fentanyl, and other traditional pharmaceuticals.
Advocates have long argued that the therapeutic use of psychedelics can be safer and more effective than prescription drugs, some of which carry the risk of dependency. It's a movement that has grown in recent years as more clinical studies back those claims and as society grapples with deepening mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic.
But even true believers say more research is needed to fully understand how the same substances popularized by hippies and ravers can be used to treat potentially life-threatening disorders.
