The Pentagon has changed its drug screening policy to test service members for psilocin, indicating the use of psilocybin mushrooms, according to an Aug. 18 memo.
Psilocin will be added to drug testing panels for troops as of Oct. 1, “due to the risk of impairment and subsequent deterioration of security, military fitness, readiness, good order and discipline,” according to the memo.
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms, produce hallucinogenic effects when consumed. After being ingested, psilocybin within the mushrooms is metabolized by the body and transformed into the active drug psilocin. High doses of psilocybin mushrooms can trigger strong physical reactions, including vomiting and disorientation, as well as psychotic behavior due to hallucinations, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The addition of psilocybin mushrooms to screening processes comes as the Pentagon is toughening up its drug testing policies for troops across the board by increasing flexibility in drug screening requests, revamping administrative processes and conducting studies to analyze trends in drug abuse among service personnel.
Both psilocybin and psilocin have been classified by the DEA as Schedule I substances, meaning that they lack accepted safety for use under medical supervision, have no accepted medical use in the United States and carry a high risk of abuse.
Zita Ballinger Fletcher previously served as editor of Military History Quarterly and Vietnam magazines and as the historian of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. She holds an M.A. with distinction in military history.
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