FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Contact: Annette Magnus, annette@amsolutionsnv.com, 702-285-0898
Nevada Coalition for Psychedelic Medicines Applauds President Trump’s Executive Order Accelerating Psychedelic Medicine Research
Coalition announces Nevada screenings of In Waves and War to spotlight the veteran mental health crisis and the promise of psychedelic-assisted therapy
NEVADA – The Nevada Coalition for Psychedelic Medicines (NCPM) today applauded President Trump’s signing of a landmark executive order directing federal agencies to accelerate research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelic compounds, including psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, and ibogaine. The executive order, signed Saturday in the Oval Office, represents the most significant federal action on psychedelic medicine in over fifty years and directly aligns with the mission NCPM has pursued at both the state and federal level.
The order directs the FDA to expedite its review of psychedelic compounds with breakthrough therapy designations, instructs federal agencies to reduce regulatory barriers to clinical research, and expands collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs on psychedelic-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD, depression, and traumatic brain injury. It also provides $50 million for state-level ibogaine research, announces the first-ever ibogaine investigational new drug (IND) clearance, paving the way for the first human clinical trials of ibogaine in the United States, and opens a pathway for ibogaine to be administered under the Right to Try Act. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the administration will coordinate with the DEA and Department of Justice to initiate rescheduling reviews for psychedelic compounds that successfully complete Phase 3 clinical trials.
“Today marks a turning point for the millions of Americans, and especially our veterans, who have been failed by the existing mental health treatment paradigm,” said Jon Dalton, President of NCPM and a retired Navy SEAL. “This executive order validates what the research community, veterans, and advocates have been saying for years: these medicines deserve serious, expedited scientific evaluation.”
“This executive order represents an encouraging shift in federal policy and a strong signal of progress in recognizing the urgent need for new approaches to mental health care, especially for veterans and others with treatment-resistant conditions,” said Kate Cotter, Executive Director of NCPM. “Still, meaningful access will require sustained effort, continued federal leadership, and proactive policy development here in Nevada to ensure these therapies are delivered safely, ethically, and effectively.”
NCPM’s State and Federal Advocacy
Today’s executive order builds upon the groundwork NCPM and its partners have laid at the state level. NCPM has advanced bipartisan psychedelic medicine legislation through the Nevada Legislature. Most notably, NCPM co-developed and advocated for Senate Joint Resolution 10 (SJR 10), introduced by Senator Rochelle Nguyen with 7 sponsors and 20 cosponsors. SJR 10 passed both chambers and urges Congress to reschedule psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, ibogaine, mescaline, and MDMA; increase federal funding for psychedelic research; and establish legal protections for supervised use under state law. The resolution has been transmitted to the President, congressional leadership, the Nevada delegation, and the heads of the DEA and NIH.
“Nevada has been ahead of the curve on this issue, and I’m proud to have led SJR 10 to push for expanded research, federal rescheduling, and legal pathways for supervised treatment,” said Nevada State Senator Rochelle Nguyen. “Today’s executive order is an important sign of progress, and we should keep building on this momentum to help veterans, families, and others facing serious mental health and addiction challenges.”
At the federal level, NCPM has partnered with the Veterans Mental Health Leadership Coalition to lobby for the Freedom to Heal Act (S. 3346, 119th Congress), which would amend the existing Right to Try law, originally signed by President Trump during his first term, to explicitly permit the use of Schedule I psychedelic compounds for seriously ill patients. The executive order’s provision creating a Right to Try pathway for ibogaine represents a significant step toward these legislative goals.
NCPM is currently involved in Nevada-specific efforts to bring regulated access of these life-saving medicines to our state to address both the mental health crisis and opioid addiction crisis.
Nevada Screenings of In Waves and War
In an effort to educate the public on the topic of Psychedelic Medicine, NCPM is hosting two free public screenings of In Waves and War, the Netflix documentary following three Navy SEAL veterans as they confront PTSD and traumatic brain injury through ibogaine-assisted therapy. Each screening will be followed by a panel discussion.
RENO | April 30, 2026 | 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Truckee Meadows Community College, Sierra Building, Room 108
Panel: Asm. Natha Anderson (Dist. 30); Dr. Sarah Henry, Neuropsychologist; Jon Dalton, Retired SEAL.
RSVP: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/in-waves-and-war-reno-screening
LAS VEGAS | May 14, 2026 | 6:00 – 9:00 PM
College of Southern Nevada, West Charleston Campus, BLDG K, Room WCK101
Panel: Asm. Dr. Rebecca Edgeworth (Dist. 35); Dustin Hines, PhD, Neuroscience; Jon Dalton, Retired SEAL.
RSVP: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/in-waves-and-war-las-vegas-screening
A Critical Moment for Veterans and Mental Health
“We are losing approximately 17 to 44 veterans to suicide every day,” said Dalton. “The status quo is not working. When the President signs an executive order acknowledging that psychedelic therapies show life-changing potential for veterans, it validates the work our coalition has been doing. And an executive order is just the beginning. We need Nevadans to see this film, hear from our panels, and join the fight to bring these therapies home.”
NCPM will continue to advance psychedelic medicine policy at the state and federal level and calls on Nevada’s legislators, medical institutions, and veteran service organizations to support expanded research and access to these treatments.
###
About NCPM:
The Nevada Coalition for Psychedelic Medicines is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit championing the legalization of psychedelic-assisted therapy and the reduction of penalties through education, collaboration, cultural change, and policy reform. For more information about our work visit: www.nevadacpm.org