Rand health quarterlyOct 2, 2026

How Common Psychedelic Use Is Among U.S. Veterans and Their Views on Related Policies

Psychedelic Science Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Oct 3, 2026

Abstract

Data from the 2025 RAND Psychedelics Survey indicate veterans' unique perspectives on psychedelic substance use.

Veterans have different usage patterns of psychedelic substances compared to nonveterans.
The survey reveals veterans' willingness to try psychedelics for mental health treatment.
Veterans show varying attitudes towards U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs policies on psychedelics.
Posttraumatic stress disorder is highlighted as a mental health condition of particular concern among veterans.

Simplified

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 study, the authors present new data from the 2025 RAND Psychedelics Survey. The study focuses on the use of specific psychedelic substances and policy preferences among U.S. veterans and compares them with nonveterans. The study 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.