A Bipartisan Psychedelics Caucus has been created in the US Congress to advocate for research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics.
The Caucus is co-chaired by Representatives Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI), and includes members from both parties. The Caucus will work to educate members of Congress and the public about the potential benefits of psychedelics, and to ensure that federal policies reflect the latest scientific research.
The bipartisan caucus is committed to “addressing ways to alleviate the national mental health crisis through psychedelic science and research.” PACT looks to advance research into the therapeutic use of psychedelic compounds and ensure any FDA-approved psychedelic-assisted therapies are available to those in need, in accordance with the law.
Ismail Ali, J.D., Director of Policy & Advocacy, MAPS, commented on the announcement. “We are encouraged that Representatives Correa and Bergman are taking significant steps to bring the conversation about psychedelic research and therapy to Congress. This initiative will build upon the growing national interest in the potential for psychedelic care modalities to be incorporated into healthcare. We look forward to working with members of the caucus to educate their colleagues to replace drug war rhetoric with science, evidence, and compassion.”
The creation of the Psychedelics Caucus is a positive step forward for the therapeutic use of psychedelics. The caucus will help to ensure that any policies that are enacted are based on science and evidence, and will protect the rights of patients and researchers.
The caucus recognizes that federal agencies, including those under the National Institutes of Health, have already put funding toward exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and intends to support those efforts while promoting the generation of “enough safety and efficacy (clinical) data” for the FDA and DEA to decide on the future of psychedelic assisted therapy.
Representative Bergman is a veteran who has an interest in exploring psychedelic treatments for veteran’s issues, such as PTSD. He is quoted as saying, “If psychedelic-assisted therapy can help treat or even fully cure someone of their PTSD, we need to take a closer look at these potential life-saving therapies.”
Bergman is a member of the Congressional Veterans Caucus. Earlier this year, fellow veteran Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), along with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), filed separate bills advocating for psychedelic research to treat veterans and active duty members.
