The order calls on the federal government to loosen regulations on hallucinogens, including ibogaine, for therapeutic purposes.
Published April 18, 2026
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order expediting the review of several hallucinogens, including the controversial ibogaine.
Trump attended Saturday’s Oval Office event with podcaster Joe Rogan.
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Logan, considered one of the country’s most influential podcasters, is a leading proponent of ibogaine, which is derived from a plant that grows in West Africa and is embraced by some veterans groups as a treatment for post-traumatic stress.
Speaking at the event, Rogan told how he had previously texted Trump information about ibogaine.
He recalled that the president immediately emailed him and said, “That’s great. Do you want FDA approval? Let’s approve it.”
Advocacy groups have long called for more research into the potential use of psychedelics to treat a variety of problems, including depression.
“Today’s order will finally give people suffering from debilitating conditions the chance to take back their lives and live happier lives,” President Trump said at the signing ceremony.
“If these things turn out to be as good as people say they are, it will have a huge impact.”
At one point, the president jokingly said he was open to taking hallucinogens himself, saying, “Can I have some? I’ll take some.”
However, he quickly distanced himself from the joke. “There’s no time to be depressed. If I stay busy enough, it might work out. That’s my job,” he said.
In the United States, increased research on psychedelics has proven to be a rare issue with bipartisan support. Ibogaine and other psychedelics remain prohibited in the United States under the federal government’s most restrictive category of illegal drugs.
Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously promised to ease access to psychedelics for medical use.
President Trump’s executive order requires the Department of Health and Human Services to direct at least $50 million to states that have enacted or are developing programs to promote the use of psychedelic drugs for serious mental illness.
It was also announced ahead of several FDA actions to ease restrictions.
This week, the agency plans to issue so-called “national priority” vouchers for three psychedelic drugs, which agency director Marty McCurry said would allow certain drugs to be approved quickly “if they are aligned with national priorities.”
The FDA is also taking steps to clear the way for the first-ever human trial of ibogaine in the United States. Previous research had been stalled by concerns that the drug could cause fatal heart problems.
Ibogaine was first used in religious ceremonies by followers of the Bwiti religion in African countries such as Gabon.
Mr. Logan’s support boosted Mr. Trump’s support in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. Since then, he has publicly questioned his administration’s war with Iran, saying it violates President Trump’s campaign promises.
Also in attendance Saturday was Marcus Luttrell, a former Navy SEAL whose memoir of his time in Afghanistan, “Lone Survivor,” was later made into a movie.
He praised ibogaine at the ceremony, saying, “It completely changed my life for the better.”
