Veteran issues in the United States often figure prominently in policy debates and media coverage surrounding psychedelic substances, such as psilocybin mushrooms and ibogaine. This is partially driven by the need to improve access and efficacy of treatments for mental health conditions, especially conditions (such as posttraumatic stress disorder) that are more common among veterans than nonveterans.
In this report, the authors present new data from the 2025 RAND Psychedelics Survey. The report focuses on the use of specific psychedelic substances and policy preferences among U.S. veterans and compares them with nonveterans. The report also includes data on veterans’ willingness to try these substances and their attitudes about U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) policies on certain psychedelics.
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