Many people struggling with mental health challenges know how slow progress can feel when traditional treatments fail.
For years, alternative therapies have existed on the sidelines, discussed quietly among researchers and patients.
Now, a political decision in the United States is pushing those ideas into the mainstream.
A policy shift
According to The Guardian, Donald Trump has signed an executive order designed to accelerate access to treatments based on psychedelic substances.
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The order directs the Food and Drug Administration to speed up its review of drugs such as ibogaine, which researchers have explored as a possible treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
These substances remain largely illegal due to their hallucinogenic effects, but officials say successful trials could lead to a change in classification.
Research focus
The administration is also committing $50m in federal funding to study ibogaine, a compound derived from a plant native to Central Africa.
The New York Times reports that Texas could be among the first to benefit, as the state has already invested heavily in similar research efforts.
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Scientists have also pointed to ibogaine’s potential in treating opioid addiction and other substance use disorders, though further clinical evidence is still required.
Support and debate
The move has drawn support from figures such as health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and podcaster Joe Rogan, both of whom have previously advocated for expanding research into psychedelic therapies.
At the same time, the decision is likely to fuel debate, as regulators weigh the risks and benefits of substances that have long been restricted.
The initiative signals a broader shift in US health policy, with growing openness toward exploring unconventional approaches to treatment.
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