The White House (via OMB) strongly protests Congressional efforts within the FY 2027 NDAA to prohibit the purchase of warships from foreign shipyards. The Administration argues that these restrictions undermine national security by limiting flexibility and hindering its strategy of leveraging allied yards, such as in the 'Finland model,' to drive investment into U.S. shipbuilding capacity. This signals a significant policy shift toward integrating international partners into advanced naval construction, suggesting the Pentagon is prepared to bypass traditional domestic build requirements for future combat vessels.
U.S. Veterans and Psychedelics: Prevalence of Use and Policy Preferences
English Summary
The RAND report analyzes the growing interest in psychedelics among U.S. veterans, finding that nearly one in four support legal psilocybin use for mental health treatment. This increased acceptance is driven by the high prevalence of conditions like PTSD among service members and a general desire for advanced therapeutic options. Veterans show strong policy support for the VA to provide or pay for psychedelics-assisted therapy (e.g., 54% for psilocybin), contingent on FDA approval. Policymakers must address veteran concerns regarding potential loss of VA benefits while navigating accelerating federal and state efforts to legalize and research these substances.
中文摘要
這份 RAND 報告分析了美國退伍軍人對致幻劑日益增長的興趣,發現近四分之一的退伍軍人支持將黃色真菌(psilocybin)用於心理健康治療。這種接受度的提高,源於服務成員中創傷後壓力症候群(PTSD)等疾病的高盛行率,以及人們對先進治療方案的普遍需求。退伍軍人強烈支持退伍軍人事務部(VA)提供或支付致幻劑輔助療法(例如:54% 支持黃色真菌),但前提是必須獲得 FDA 批准。政策制定者必須在應對退伍軍人對於潛在失去 VA 福利的擔憂的同時,處理聯邦和州層面加速合法化及研究這些物質的努力。
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