The Military Is About to Start Drug Testing for Mushrooms

Happy Labor Day, and welcome to another edition of the Drop In, DoubleBlind Mag’s newsletter delivering independent journalism about psychedelics straight to your inbox.

Today’s lead story sheds light on a new issue that directly affects those in the armed forces: Military personnel will now be drug tested for psilocybin mushrooms. While the story below broadly covers the news, many questions remain. We’re going to keep our eye on this issue because psilocybin and psilocin are typically not included in regular drug-panel screenings. So why would the Pentagon effectively prohibit the use of psilocybin, a substance currently being studied for its ability to reduce the debilitating symptoms of PTSD? We’ll report back as we gather more nuanced info.

If you keep scrolling, you’ll find stories on the living legend Ayana Iyi, why psychedelic healing is bigger than the self, data around psychedelic-spiritual transformations, and so much more.

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Mary Carreón
Editor-in-Chief

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The Military Will Officially Start Drug Testing for Psilocybin Mushrooms

Most drug tests do not screen for the presence of psilocybin mushrooms, a move signaling an escalation in the Pentagon’s war on drugs within the ranks.

Defense officials at the Pentagon issued a memo on August 18 announcing that it will broaden its drug testing program, adding psilocybin mushrooms to the list of substances that U.S. troops can be screened for, according to Task and Purpose. The decision marks a clear expansion of prohibition, given that most standard drug tests in civilian life do not look for psilocybin or psilocin. It also arrives at a time when people in the military and veterans increasingly use mushrooms to find relief from post-traumatic stress, chronic pain, and other war-related injuries.

The Department of Defense framed the decision as a matter of readiness and discipline.

“Due to the risk of impairment and subsequent deterioration of security, military fitness, readiness, good order and discipline,” psilocin will be included in testing panels beginning October 1, 2025, the memo said. Officials explained the change is part of a broader effort to update the Pentagon’s deterrence program to “address new and emerging drug threats.”

Despite the recent spate of research showing the purported benefits of psilocybin and psilocin, and the subsequent movements to decriminalize, legalize, and reschedule mushrooms, they remain Schedule I substances under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which essentially functions as the DEA’s holy bible. By federal standards, Schedule I drugs are defined as having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Historically, troops have been tested for cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, as well as club drugs like MDMA. In recent years, the military has added newer compounds such as Delta-8, a cannabis derivative. Now, psilocin joins the list. Unlike cannabis or cocaine, however, mushrooms are not usually part of a civilian 5- or 10-panel drug screen. Testing for psilocybin requires specialized methods, which makes the Pentagon’s move even more striking.

A revised Department of Defense instruction issued last week clarified that urinalysis results will also be compiled for long-term studies. Those studies aim to measure “the extent of drug abuse among military personnel,” while reinforcing deterrence efforts.

“The Department of Defense maintains a zero-tolerance policy prohibiting drug use, and we remain committed to continually expanding drug testing capabilities and enhancing our education and prevention efforts by providing effective information on drug misuse, including the use of Psilocin,” a defense official said.

Still, what is barred in uniform is regularly explored in civilian life. After leaving the service, many veterans have turned to psychedelics for healing — an emerging field of “innovative therapies” that has even caught Congress’s attention. In April, lawmakers introduced a bill to establish centers of excellence within the Department of Veterans Affairs to study and deliver such treatments.

For now, however, the Pentagon’s stance is unambiguous: Mushrooms have no place in the ranks.

Wixárika’s Sacred Pilgrimage Route Is Officially Protected

This week, we’re tracing an ancient path through Mexico’s mountains, where the Wixárika people just won a historic UNESCO victory. The pilgrimage winds across hundreds of miles, linking sacred sites, peyote rituals, and the survival of a culture under siege.

It’s a celebration, but also a fight for the future. And we have the full story as to how it all happened.

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DoubleBlind Digs

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