Former British Army Chief Urges Government to Ease MDMA Restrictions for PTSD Treatment
Sir Nick Carter, the former chief of the defence staff, is calling on the UK government to relax regulations on the party drug MDMA in order to make it more accessible as a treatment for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current restrictions, which prohibit "medical grade" MDMA, are deemed too expensive, making trials of the therapy unaffordable.
Carter argues that the benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy are significant, citing a recent study published in Nature Medicine that showed a 71% elimination of PTSD symptoms among 52 participants. This finding has raised hopes that the treatment could be more effective than existing treatments for PTSD, which affects approximately 9% of military veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The charity Supporting Wounded Veterans, which Carter patronizes, is seeking to raise £2m for a further trial of MDMA-assisted therapy at the University of Cambridge. While £700,000 has already been raised, more funding is needed to make this treatment a reality.
Wade's Story
Martin Wade, a 53-year-old former lawyer with the British army, is one of those hoping to benefit from MDMA-assisted therapy. Wade developed complex PTSD after serving in Helmand province, Afghanistan, and struggled with drink and his mental health before being diagnosed. He has since made significant progress, but still experiences symptoms such as hyper-vigilance and flashbacks.
Wade believes that MDMA-assisted therapy holds the key to his recovery and is calling for more help for those struggling with PTSD. He argues that the government could provide vital support by funding access to expensive therapies like MDMA-assisted treatment, which he estimates would cost £80,000 per veteran.
The Potential Benefits
Carter suggests that the benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy extend beyond military veterans, potentially benefiting police officers, workers in emergency services, and NHS staff. He emphasizes that this therapy is not about recreating a recreational experience but rather tapping into its therapeutic potential to treat underlying issues.
As the UK government considers Carter's proposal, it remains to be seen whether the restrictions on MDMA will be relaxed, paving the way for more veterans to access life-changing treatments like MDMA-assisted therapy.
Sir Nick Carter, the former chief of the defence staff, is calling on the UK government to relax regulations on the party drug MDMA in order to make it more accessible as a treatment for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current restrictions, which prohibit "medical grade" MDMA, are deemed too expensive, making trials of the therapy unaffordable.
Carter argues that the benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy are significant, citing a recent study published in Nature Medicine that showed a 71% elimination of PTSD symptoms among 52 participants. This finding has raised hopes that the treatment could be more effective than existing treatments for PTSD, which affects approximately 9% of military veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The charity Supporting Wounded Veterans, which Carter patronizes, is seeking to raise £2m for a further trial of MDMA-assisted therapy at the University of Cambridge. While £700,000 has already been raised, more funding is needed to make this treatment a reality.
Wade's Story
Martin Wade, a 53-year-old former lawyer with the British army, is one of those hoping to benefit from MDMA-assisted therapy. Wade developed complex PTSD after serving in Helmand province, Afghanistan, and struggled with drink and his mental health before being diagnosed. He has since made significant progress, but still experiences symptoms such as hyper-vigilance and flashbacks.
Wade believes that MDMA-assisted therapy holds the key to his recovery and is calling for more help for those struggling with PTSD. He argues that the government could provide vital support by funding access to expensive therapies like MDMA-assisted treatment, which he estimates would cost £80,000 per veteran.
The Potential Benefits
Carter suggests that the benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy extend beyond military veterans, potentially benefiting police officers, workers in emergency services, and NHS staff. He emphasizes that this therapy is not about recreating a recreational experience but rather tapping into its therapeutic potential to treat underlying issues.
As the UK government considers Carter's proposal, it remains to be seen whether the restrictions on MDMA will be relaxed, paving the way for more veterans to access life-changing treatments like MDMA-assisted therapy.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." - Franklin D. Roosevelt 
I'm all for helping out our veterans, but like £80k per vet? That's wild. But seriously, if it can help someone like Martin Wade who's been through so much, then let's do it! 
According to a study published in Nature Medicine, MDMA-assisted therapy has shown significant results for military veterans! 
In the UK alone, approximately 9% of veterans suffer from PTSD after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan... that's around 50k+ people 
. If they can just get £700k to fund further trials at the University of Cambridge, it could change lives for real 
. The government needs to step up & provide more funding for treatments like MDMA-assisted therapy! 
Like, it's proven to help so many people with PTSD and it's not like it's gonna hurt anyone to give it a try 
The government is being super slow about this 
And what's with all the money needed for trials? 
It's not like we're talking about billions of pounds here 
. If we can make this stuff available, we might see some real progress with PTSD. I mean, 71% is crazy good! 
. But I also think we need to be super cautious about opening up access to party drugs like MDMA 
. We can't just normalize it because some studies show promising results 
.
It's like they're not even considering the human cost here. The fact that it's "too expensive" for trials doesn't make sense when you think about it. £700k so far, but only £2m needed to make a real difference... 
. Plus, if this therapy can help people like Martin Wade, who's been through some serious stuff and is still struggling, then it's worth considering.
.
complex ptsd is no joke nd i know people who have 2 deal wit it 2 daily u think the gov will give in & relax the restrictions tho? 
anyway, if its got a 71% success rate like thats mentioned in dat study den why not give ppl a chance 2 try it 