How Psychedelic Drug Therapy Can Save Lives

How Psychedelic Drug Therapy Can Save Lives

psychedelic drug therapy
Watch Dan Crenshaw discuss his legislation authorizing trials on psychedelic drug therapy at the Department of Defense

Giving veterans and active duty service members access to psychedelic therapy to treat PTSD has been a top priority for me for years now in Congress. This mission has always been personal. I’ve lost brothers to invisible wounds of PTSD, and I’ve watched others recover when nothing else worked.

That’s why I passed a law authorizing trials on psychedelic therapies like psilocybin and ibogaine through the Department of Defense. Stanford’s study on ibogaine showed an 88% drop in PTSD symptoms, 87% reduction in depression, and 81% decrease in anxiety for veterans with traumatic brain injury. These promising treatments can save lives. 

I’m more encouraged about the potential for progress on this issue than I have been in a long time. President Trump has real advocates for this therapy in top positions within his administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. With the Trump Administration’s openness and strong bipartisan support for this policy, we’re closer than ever to ensuring we fully research the potential clinical benefits of breakthrough therapies so we can get veterans the treatment they need.

Protecting Military Readiness From Radical Transgender Ideology

Protecting Military Readiness From Radical Transgender Ideology

Protecting Military Readiness From Radical Transgender Ideology

CLICK HERE OR ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO WATCH

In another case of common sense vs. crazy, President Trump issued another executive order related to combating the mission creep of transgender ideology – this one related to its impact on our military. 

I have stated for years that military readiness cannot and should not be undermined by those who choose to undergo gender reassignment surgery. CNN tried to hit me with a “gotcha!” clip in an interview this week, attempting to show that I changed my position on this issue by selectively editing an interview from 2021. You can watch the full interview above to see what I’m talking about. 

Here are the facts on Trump’s executive order and this issue on transgenders in the military broadly: undergoing a gender transition fundamentally impacts a person’s ability to meet military readiness standards. These procedures often require extended recovery times, ongoing medical treatments, and create significant physical and mental challenges.

I am happy to be the face of common sense in this debate. I know what our warfighters need in an increasingly dangerous world to be a lethal fighting force. That does not include forcing a radical, DEI-focused ideology into our military.

Crenshaw, Delegation of 17 Seek Answers for Chief Petty Officer Edward “Eddie” Gallagher

March 21, 2019

Crenshaw, Delegation of 17 Seek Answers for Chief Petty Officer Edward “Eddie” Gallagher

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) was joined by a delegation of 17 U.S. Representatives from across the country in writing a letter to Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer seeking review of Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer Edward “Eddie” Gallagher’s conditions of confinement.  Gallagher was arrested on September 11, 2018. Since then he’s been held in pretrial confinement that limited his access to counsel, medical treatment for injuries and conditions related to service, and family visits, all rights that he has been denied despite presumption of innocence.

A Fox News article covering this effort highlighted the concerns raised in the letter and underscored the growing support for Gallagher’s case. The Gallagher family expressed their gratitude for the congressional intervention, stating:

“[The Gallagher’s] are grateful Members of Congress are calling attention to what our family has been experiencing for 7 months: the abhorrent treatment of one of its most decorated warfighters. Let it sink in that it is taking Members of Congress to request that a combat veteran Navy SEAL—someone who has gone to war for us 8 times—be given the basics of medical care and legal counsel amidst absurd charges. Americans should be livid.”

Congressman Crenshaw and the other Members wrote to Secretary Spencer:

“In accordance with Rule for Court-martial 304(f), you, as Secretary of the Navy, are responsible for establishing regulations governing the facilities and treatment of service members in pretrial confinement. We therefore request that you review the underlying reasons for co-locating pretrial and post-trial confinees at Consolidated Brig Miramar and whether the current arrangement fundamentally disadvantages Chief Gallagher and other pre-trial service members. Furthermore, we request that you consider whether other locations are more appropriate for pretrial confinement.”

The following Representatives cosigned the letter: Mac Thornberry (TX-13),  Jim Jordan (OH-4), Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL), Jim Banks (IN-3), Paul Cook (CA-8), Louie Gohmert (TX-1), Paul Gosar (AZ-4), Jody Hice (GA-10), French Hill (AR-2), Brian Mast (FL-18), Ralph Norman (SC-5), Pete Olson (TX-22), Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), Austin Scott (GA-8), Greg Steube (FL-17), Van Taylor (TX-3), and Michael Waltz (FL-6).

Read the complete letter below: