Veterans with PTSD travel to other countries to access psychedelics

In 2024, the US Veterans Administration announced plans to fund clinical trials using psychedelic drugs psilocybin and MDMA to treat PTSD, depression and addiction in veterans. However, it may take years before these drugs are approved for VA patients. In the meantime, thousands of veterans are traveling abroad to access these drugs in countries where they are legal, often within indigenous ceremonies.

In March 2024, a group of nine veterans traveled to a remote village near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for a week-long psychedelic retreat. These veterans, each with invisible wounds from combat, hoped that the experience would help alleviate their pain. One of the veterans, TJ Duff, a former Navy sailor, was 18 when he narrowly escaped death during the 2000 USS Cole attack in Yemen.

Another veteran, Randy Weaver, a police officer and former Army staff sergeant, was diagnosed with PTSD after returning from tours in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Weaver recounted a specific incident during his tour in Afghanistan when he felt he failed his friend, Staff Sergeant Anthony Lagman, who was killed. Weaver hopes that the psychedelic retreat will help him confront and overcome his demons.

The retreat was organized by the Heroic Hearts Project, a nonprofit that has helped over 1,000 U.S. veterans with combat-related PTSD access psychedelics. The veterans underwent medical screenings and weaned off any antidepressant or anxiety medication before participating. The retreat was conducted by traditional healers who facilitated three psychedelic ceremonies with psilocybin. The healers emphasized the importance of humility and receiving healing during the experience.