WASHINGTON — On Saturday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order mandating the acceleration of federal assessments of psychedelics for mental health therapy.

“This directive is a step towards offering those who endure crippling symptoms a genuine opportunity to reclaim joy in their lives,” Trump commented while signing the order concerning these substances.

The president referred to a 2024 Stanford University study that highlighted encouraging outcomes when using the natural psychoactive compound ibogaine to aid combat veterans dealing with traumatic brain injuries.

Such injuries are a significant contributor to a spectrum of mental health issues, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and elevated suicide rates among veterans.

The study noted that traditional treatments for the lasting effects of TBI have been largely ineffective. However, researchers observed that the psychedelic substance notably alleviated symptoms without causing major adverse reactions.

Several veterans who participated in the study called the drug was “life changing.”

Sean, a veteran in his 50s from Arizona with six combat deployments, was one of the study participants. He said ibogaine saved his life. 

“Before the treatment, I was living life in a blizzard with zero visibility and a cold, hopeless, listless feeling,” he said in the report. “After ibogaine, the storm lifted.”  

Ibogaine is found in the roots of the African shrub iboga and has been used for ceremonial and healing purposes for centuries. However, it has been designated a Schedule I drug in the U.S. since the 1970s, which is the most restrictive category for illegal or high-risk drugs. 

However, the order signals that the administration is taking steps to ease access to psychedelics that Trump said were already designated as potential breakthroughs by federal regulators.

The Food and Drug Administration next week will issue national priority vouchers for three psychedelics, which the agency’s commissioner, Marty Makary, said will allow certain drugs to be approved quickly “if they are in line with our national priorities.” It is the first time the FDA has offered that fast-tracking to any psychedelics.

The FDA is also taking steps to clear the way for the first-ever human trials of ibogaine in the United States.

No psychedelic has been approved in the United States, but a number of them are being studied in large trials for various mental health conditions, including psilocybin, MDMA and LSD. 

All those drugs remain illegal, classified as Schedule I substances alongside drugs such as heroin. 

Two states — Oregon and Colorado — have legalized psychedelic therapy with psilocybin.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.