Former British Army Chief Calls for Eased Restrictions on MDMA to Aid Veterans Suffering from PTSD.
Sir Nick Carter, a former head of the British military, is urging ministers to relax regulations surrounding the party drug MDMA in order to make it more accessible as a treatment option for veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The existing regulations pose a significant barrier to testing the efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy, citing an inflated cost due to its classification as a class A drug.
Carter's plea comes on the heels of promising initial results from studies in Nature Medicine. In these trials, 71% of participants with PTSD showed significant improvement after undergoing MDMA-assisted therapy. This has sparked hopes that the treatment could be more effective than existing treatments for the condition, which affects approximately 9% of military veterans who served during deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy extend beyond the military community, with potential applications reaching workers in emergency services, healthcare professionals, and even police officers. According to Carter, this treatment could provide "a sense of self-love" and aid individuals in addressing chronic conditions like hyper-vigilance, flashbacks, and nightmares.
Martin Wade, a former lawyer who served in the British army, has been an outspoken advocate for PTSD support. Wade's experiences with the condition were exacerbated by his time in Afghanistan, where he struggled to cope with the moral implications of military operations. He has since become an artist and advocates for increased funding for therapy.
Critics argue that the government should provide more resources to address PTSD among veterans. Wade himself believes that providing each struggling veteran with £80,000 worth of therapy would be a valuable investment in their well-being. The Supporting Wounded Veterans charity is currently fundraising £2 million to support further trials of MDMA-assisted therapy at the University of Cambridge.
With promising results and mounting evidence supporting its efficacy, Carter's call for relaxed regulations on MDMA cannot be ignored. As the country grapples with the ongoing legacy of military operations, it remains to be seen whether increased access to this treatment option will have a lasting impact on veterans' lives.
Sir Nick Carter, a former head of the British military, is urging ministers to relax regulations surrounding the party drug MDMA in order to make it more accessible as a treatment option for veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The existing regulations pose a significant barrier to testing the efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy, citing an inflated cost due to its classification as a class A drug.
Carter's plea comes on the heels of promising initial results from studies in Nature Medicine. In these trials, 71% of participants with PTSD showed significant improvement after undergoing MDMA-assisted therapy. This has sparked hopes that the treatment could be more effective than existing treatments for the condition, which affects approximately 9% of military veterans who served during deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy extend beyond the military community, with potential applications reaching workers in emergency services, healthcare professionals, and even police officers. According to Carter, this treatment could provide "a sense of self-love" and aid individuals in addressing chronic conditions like hyper-vigilance, flashbacks, and nightmares.
Martin Wade, a former lawyer who served in the British army, has been an outspoken advocate for PTSD support. Wade's experiences with the condition were exacerbated by his time in Afghanistan, where he struggled to cope with the moral implications of military operations. He has since become an artist and advocates for increased funding for therapy.
Critics argue that the government should provide more resources to address PTSD among veterans. Wade himself believes that providing each struggling veteran with £80,000 worth of therapy would be a valuable investment in their well-being. The Supporting Wounded Veterans charity is currently fundraising £2 million to support further trials of MDMA-assisted therapy at the University of Cambridge.
With promising results and mounting evidence supporting its efficacy, Carter's call for relaxed regulations on MDMA cannot be ignored. As the country grapples with the ongoing legacy of military operations, it remains to be seen whether increased access to this treatment option will have a lasting impact on veterans' lives.
like MDMA can actually help people feel more human again 
. Carter's right we need to make therapy more accessible ASAP, £80k might be a lot but trust us its worth it 
. gotta think about the people who are struggling not just vets, emergency services workers too 
. And yeah, let's get more funding for this kinda thing 
. wouldn't mind seeing more trials and studies done on this stuff 
I mean, it's already being used in some parts of the world and people are actually feeling better after taking it. But we're still stuck with these old laws that are stopping us from really exploring its potential as a treatment for PTSD. It's like, what's the worst that could happen if we try something new? 
I'm not saying it'll be a magic cure or anything, but at least we should be willing to listen and consider the possibilities.
. I mean, 71% improvement rate for PTSD? That's crazy! 
It's already being tested in emergency services and healthcare too... imagine if our mental health support was actually effective 
. I'm all for loosening up on the regulations so more people can try it out 
. £80k per vet for therapy is a decent ask tho, gotta think about funding 
. If this MDMA-assisted therapy can really help them find some peace of mind, then it's definitely worth exploring. And the fact that 71% of participants showed significant improvement is mind-blowing! 
think that's amazing and I'm not even kidding, if this is true then why aren't they already making it more accessible?!? It's like, veterans are struggling so much with PTSD and we're trying to help them but we need more options 
. Carter is right, the government needs to step up and provide more resources, £80k for therapy isn't too much if it means our brothers and sisters in arms can live a normal life 
. Maybe it's time to look at things from a different angle? 
it's crazy that more people aren't talking about it yet 
those initial results are insane 71% improvement is no joke 
I'm so glad Sir Nick Carter is speaking out about this and Martin Wade too 
. I've heard those guys go through some crazy stuff over there, PTSD can be brutal 
. I'm all for anything that can help 'em cope better 
. £80k might seem like a lot of money, but if it means giving someone their life back 
. Anyway, back to MDMA and PTSD... I think it's totally reasonable that former British Army Chief Sir Nick Carter is pushing for relaxed regulations on the drug. 71% of people with PTSD showed significant improvement after using it? That's insane 
. I guess it's all about weighing the pros and cons... 
A £80k therapy fund per vet would be a massive boost to their mental health. 
. I'm all for giving veterans a chance at healing, and if that means experimenting with something like MDMA, then so be it 
. Let's not forget about Wade's experiences, dude, he knows what he's talking about