A 77-year-old retired Marine Corps general has emerged as an unlikely advocate for treating veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder with the psychedelic drug ecstasy… Jack Bergman flew helicopters in Vietnam, earned three stars, and is now in his fourth term representing a northern Michigan district in the House. A Republican, he sees promise in psychedelics…

“Every day that goes by that research isn’t being done, that’s more lives being lost, primarily to suicide,” said Bergman. “A lot of those veterans are on a dark path.” Bergman then pulled his fingers into the shape of a gun, aiming them at his head … it’s not uncommon for the FDA to reject a new drug application, but it overrules its advisers about only a third of the time … most of the people with PTSD who took MDMA and received… therapy no longer met the diagnostic criteria for the disorder. The FDA’s advisers saw it differently. They found the treatment ineffective, and its risks greater than its benefits…

Original Article (Politico):
How a 3-star general came to believe in psychedelic medicine
Artwork Fair Use: Fritzmann2002