MDMA should be licensed for veterans with PTSD

MDMA-led psychotherapy should be licensed for UK veterans with PTSD, with the author arguing that the UK is falling behind US momentum on psychedelic-assisted mental health care. The article links combat-related trauma to complex PTSD outcomes like alcoholism and suicidal thoughts, citing veteran experiences and a documentary that credits MDMA-led therapy with recovery. Carter frames MDMA-assisted treatment as a structured, supervised clinical approach rather than a hallucination-inducing drug, pointing to brain and fear-processing mechanisms (including reduced amygdala activity) and a “window of plasticity” for learning. The core policy case is regulatory: MDMA remains Schedule 1 and is labeled as having no medical use, creating licensing hurdles and driving up trial costs through expensive research-grade supply, insurance, oversight, and specialized training. Carter calls on the UK government and MHRA to recategorise MDMA for research purposes, enabling faster trials, and then move toward full licensing if results continue to support effectiveness.