An Executive Order on Psychedelics: Opening Doors to Hope and Healing

By Dr. Tony Reigle

April 2026

The recent executive order will pave the way for further study of psychedelics for mental health. For many people — including veterans, first responders and people suffering from serious depression or post-traumatic stress disorder who have not found relief with current standard treatments — research into psychedelic-assisted therapy is a long-overdue development. Now, as these promising new treatments make their way into clinical trials, this executive order will enable scientists and clinicians to study them within the structure and parameters required by law. The order is a thoughtful and important step in what promises to be an important evolution in the search for innovative mental health treatments.

At the same time, this moment carries a sense of hope. Hope that there will be more tools for treatment and recovery for the millions of people who are often underserved or invisible in our society. Hope that stigma will continue to be exposed and that, increasingly, our language and approaches around mental health and alternative treatments will become more informed and more open. Ultimately, hope that this will all translate into strengthening the continuum of care and helping people not just survive through their most desperate moments of need, but thrive back to health, wholeness, and vitality.

In my own study, “EXPERIENCES OF MILITARY & EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ACCESSING SUPPORTS”, local military members rated on average a 5.47/10 that they felt their specific needs were understood by current traditional supports with local first responders rating on average a 5.6/10. Participants who were both local military members and first responders rated on average a 4.38/10 that they felt their specific needs were understood by current traditional supports. Local military members rated on average a 6.06/10 that they felt their needs were being met by current traditional supports with local first responders rating on average a 6.04/10 in this area. Participants who were both local military members and first responders rated on average a 3.69/10 that they felt their needs were being met by current

traditional supports.

On a larger scale, it has become increasingly apparent that current traditional interventions to support veterans are not effective to the degree that we had hoped. In the last few years, there has been peer-reviewed and federal research into the potential of using psychedelic-assisted therapies for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have initiated and funded research into MDMA and Psilocybin, studying their potential as therapeutic tools for veterans suffering from a variety of disorders.

What is most hopeful from the clinical and observational studies completed to date is that there is robust evidence that these interventions can bring significant reductions in symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety and substance use disorders with medium to large effect sizes.

From survey studies of veterans who have had psychedelic experiences, more than 80% report positive outcomes with help of these medicines for easing symptoms of PTSD and depression and even a willingness to return to treatment when that has been difficult in the past. Clearly, the research is still in its early stages, with most studies currently in the clinical trials phase.

There is ongoing monitoring by federal regulatory agencies and continued support by VA and DoD researchers as more data become available to better understand long-term safety, efficacy, and optimal clinical use.

We must continue to scrutinize advancements in mental health treatments and make certain that those promising approaches are implemented for the good of all people. That means continued conversations among clinicians, researchers, policymakers and those most affected by mental illness, rigorous and ongoing research and studies — with an emphasis on safety, efficacy and compassion — and fair, workable legislation that is free from bias and partisan ideology. While veterans are at the forefront of the dialogue about these new mental health treatments, it’s equally important that first responders and the civilian population also receive the innovative care they need. Research by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that millions of adults suffer from at least one mental health issue, and that millions more have treatment-resistant illnesses. Roughly 20% to 30% of individuals suffering from depression do not respond to at least two standard treatments for the condition. By expanding research, access and innovation that could help these and other groups of Americans, we must work together to ensure that the best and most emerging techniques are put into practice for all people in need of mental health care.