Rick Perry: Research into psychedelics ‘makes sense’
- Psychedelic drugs have become a hot trend in mental health treatment
- Former GOP Gov. Rick Perry may seem like an unlikely advocate
- Perry: Interested in drugs as a way to help veterans' mental health
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(NewsNation) — Psychedelic drugs have become one of the hottest trends in mental health treatments.
This week, Denver hosted a conference put on by a psychedelic advocacy group. The group brought together an unlikely cohort of speakers, including NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry and rapper Jaden Smith.
Rick Perry joined “On Balance With Leland Vittert” on Thursday to discuss the need for scientific research into the field of psychedelics.
“We are seeing some extraordinary data that says it’s really making a difference on depression, on anxiety, on sleeplessness and suicidal thoughts,” he said.
Perry’s interest in psychedelics is focused on helping veterans with post-traumatic stress syndrome.
“We are strictly focused on the use of the psychedelics in clinical trials with the proper type of medical oversight, the proper type of diagnosis, the proper type of dosing, the proper type of oversight when it comes to these medicines being given,” he said.
As a former Texas Republican governor, Perry may seem like an unlikely advocate of psychedelics.
“I’ve seen and talked to these young men who have given literally up their lives for our freedom and I think it makes sense for us to use [these] compounds,” he said. “My reputation is not more important than these young men’s lives. And I’m willing to stand up.”
Psychedelics are illegal at the federal level, though acceptance and interest in studying their potential benefits has grown.
In 2021, Texas legalized psychedelic medical research as Oregon had already legalized psilocybin, the hallucinogenic substance obtained from certain types of mushrooms, and California was considering it.
“I think that was the right thing to do,” Perry said. “And these young men deserve it. And we need to use every means. I think … to give them a chance to get a recovery.”
While the Denver conference is a sign of growing cultural acceptance for substances that proponents say may offer benefits for health issues including post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism, medical experts caution that more research is needed on the drugs’ efficacy and the extent of the risks of psychedelics, which can cause hallucinations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
