Trump says yes to psychedelic drug research

President Trump has issued an executive order to speed up reviews into psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, LSD, and Ibogaine. Psychedelics are banned in the US in the vast majority of circumstances, but scientists are looking at the drugs and their possible therapeutic benefits for serious mental health conditions.

Ibogaine comes from a shrub native to west Africa and is used ceremonially in Gabon. Trials have reported benefits from the drugs in conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and opioid addiction. But experts say that it’s been difficult to study because it can cause heart problems.

BBC’s Bernd Debussman Jr in Washington tells us more about the growing interest in psychedelics in the US. Plus, we hear about the reaction in Gabon from Yann Guignon, a researcher at Blessings Of The Forest, a charity that works to protect Gabonese cultural heritage.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Benita Barden
Editor: Harriet Oliver