An estimated 4.8 million U.S. veterans have used psychedelic drugs, but many are hesitant about discussing that use with their Department of Veterans Affairs providers for fear of jeopardizing their VA benefits, according to a new RAND study.
The research, released by the the Washington think tank Tuesday, examined veterans’ use of psilocybin mushrooms, LSD and MDMA, along with their levels of support for legal use of the drugs and their understanding of the VA’s policies on them.
The study comes as President Donald Trump’s administration has funneled funds into studying psychedelics as a form of mental health therapy, often promoting their potential to treat veterans, in particular. Despite recent support from the federal government, the study revealed confusion among veterans about the VA’s policies regarding the substances.
“VA policy around psychedelics remains unclear, and we found that about half of veterans were unsure about discussing them with a VA doctor,” Michelle Priest, lead author of the report, said in a statement. “That uncertainty matters, especially as veteran issues are prominently featured in policy conversations surrounding psychedelics, both at the federal and state levels.”
About half of veterans were unsure whether discussing their use of psychedelics with their VA doctors would risk their benefits. The VA issued a policy in 2023 that encourages veterans to discuss their marijuana use with their doctors — and specifies that marijuana use wouldn’t affect their benefits — but there’s no such guidance or guarantee for other drugs, RAND said.
Asked about the findings Tuesday, a VA spokesperson directed reporters to the department’s webpage, which states the agency “strongly discourages self-medicating or attempting to replace other mental health treatment options with psychedelics or any other unprescribed substances.”
“Proven, evidence-based treatments, are currently available at VA facilities to treat veterans with mental health conditions,” the VA website continues. “Veterans should always consult their health care providers before making any treatment decisions.”
About 27.5% of all veterans have used the substances, the study states. LSD was the most common, with veterans being more likely than the general population to have used LSD in their lifetime.
The study found that veterans were more likely to support the legal use of psilocybin mushrooms and LSD — 23% for mushrooms and 11% for LSD — but support for MDMA, at 9%, was about the same as the rest of the country.
Last year, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center received a $4.9 million Defense Department grant to fund a study of MDMA and its effects on active-duty soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Trump signed an executive order in April committing at least $50 million in federal funds to boost research on ibogaine, a powerful hallucinogen derived from the African shrub iboga.
During the signing ceremony, Trump said, “It’s for a lot of people, but it’s for our military in particular. The suicide epidemic among veterans is a national tragedy.”
Less than 1% of veterans have used ibogaine, the RAND study found. About 5% of veterans who hadn’t used it were willing to try it.
Following the executive order, which directed the Food and Drug Administration to accelerate reviews of certain psychedelic therapies, the VA announced its launch of a clinical trial to evaluate MDMA-assisted therapy on severe mental health disorders.
Nikki Wentling is a senior editor at Military Times. She’s reported on veterans and military communities for over a decade and has also covered technology, politics, health care and crime. Her work has earned multiple honors from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors and others.