Brian Laird on WNYC.

On our Tuesday shows, we like to bring the science on a topic in public health, often climate-related, often other health-related science.

As it happens, we will talk a lot about environmental health tomorrow

because tomorrow is Earth Day, as we just mentioned in that break.

Here's what we'll do today.

Did you catch the announcement by President Trump over the weekend

that he's going to make it easier to research the potential health benefits

of certain psychedelic

drugs. These include LSD, MDMA, also known as Ecstasy or Molly, psilocybin, and ibogaine.

Veterans groups have been especially interested in this after some reported success

treating war-induced PTSD.

At the announcement, Trump was flanked by several of his health-related appointees,

RFK Jr. and others.

But the origin story of this announcement came from perhaps a surprising source,

who was there, the podcaster Joe Rogan.

Here's 40 seconds of what he said. I sent President Trump some

information. We have a gigantic opiate problem in this country, obviously. In 2024, more than 80,000

people died of overdoses. It's a horrible number. And there's more than 5 million people that are addicted to opiates right now in this country.

With one dose of IBA game, more than 80% of people are free of that addiction.

With two doses, it's more than 90%. I sent that information.

The text message came back, sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let's do it. It was literally that

quick. Yeah, it was that quick. Podcast it with connections, calls the president. The president says,

...