NC Lawmakers Push $5.4M Bill to Study Psychedelic Therapies for Veterans
A North Carolina combat veteran turned state lawmaker is leading a bipartisan push for $5.4 million to research psychedelic medicines as treatments for veterans and first responders.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — A bipartisan group of North Carolina lawmakers is advocating for $5.4 million in state funding to study psychedelic medicines as potential treatments for military veterans, first responders, and other trauma-impacted populations, according to NC Newsline.
Senate Bill 1018 would establish a Breakthrough Therapies research grant fund to examine the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds. The bill received public support at a press conference at the North Carolina General Assembly on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
A Combat Veteran’s Perspective
Rep. Allen Chesser (R-Nash), a co-sponsor of the bill, served as a turret gunner with the U.S. Army National Guard and completed more than 100 combat missions in Iraq before becoming a state lawmaker. He said the mental health crisis facing veterans makes research into new treatments urgent.
“I was fortunate enough to make it home, but many of us didn’t make it home. And even those of us that did make it home still fight battles on a daily basis, and unfortunately, some of us are still losing those battles,” said Chesser.
Chesser said the United States loses between 17 and 44 veterans to suicide every single day. He pointed to early clinical trial results as evidence that psychedelic-assisted therapy could offer what conventional treatments cannot.
“Psychedelic-assisted therapy, chemical compounds like MDMA for PTSD, and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression have shown in clinical trials results that traditional medicines cannot match,” Chesser told reporters at the Tuesday press conference.
Bill Gains Bipartisan and Federal Momentum
Sen. Bob Brinson (R-Beaufort), a U.S. Army veteran and primary Senate sponsor of the bill, said the legislative push in Raleigh aligns with growing momentum at the federal level. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April directing the Food and Drug Administration to fast-track its review of psychedelic medicines for severe cases of depression and anxiety.
Brinson noted that no single treatment addresses the needs of every veteran struggling with mental health challenges, and that the research fund would help North Carolina explore therapies currently showing promise in clinical settings.
What the Bill Would Fund
If passed, Senate Bill 1018 would direct $5.4 million toward a state-administered grant fund focused on researching psychedelic medicines specifically for military veterans, first responders, and other individuals who have experienced significant trauma. Psilocybin, the active compound in certain mushrooms, and MDMA are among the substances the research would examine.
The bill carries backing from both Republican and Democratic members of the General Assembly, according to NC Newsline. A bipartisan group of lawmakers and advocates appeared alongside Chesser at the June 16 press conference to voice their support for moving the legislation forward.
