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Collins questions Casey Means on ‘magic mushroom’ use during confirmation hearing Health Care | 23 minutes ago

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Collins questions Casey Means on ‘magic mushroom’ use during confirmation hearing

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on Wednesday questioned Dr. Casey Means, President Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, on her previously recommending psilocybin use. 

During Means’s confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Collins, holding a copy of the nominee’s 2024 book “Good Energy,” said she was “concerned” that Means encouraged individuals to use the psychedelic drug, which is also known as magic mushrooms. 

The Maine Republican then asked Means whether she stood by what she wrote and how she would speak to Americans regarding illicit drugs if confirmed.

“I believe what I would say as a private citizen is, in many cases, different than what I would say as a public health official, joining a team where the purpose of this role is to communicate absolutely the best evidence-based science to the American people, to keep them safe, thriving and healthy,” Means replied. 

“And when it comes to psychedelic therapy for mental health issues, I think the science is still emerging,” she added. “So it would certainly not be a recommendation to the American people to do that, under no circumstances.”

Means noted that there is “exciting work being done in this area, that needs to continue” on psychedelic therapies for veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and individuals dealing with mental health issues. 

Means wrote in “Good Energy” that individuals should consider using psilocybin. Means co-wrote the book alongside her brother, Calley Means, who is an adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 

“If you feel called, I also encourage you to explore intentional, guided psilocybin therapy,” she wrote, according to The Associated Press. “Strong scientific evidence suggests that this psychedelic therapy can be one of the most meaningful experiences of life for some people, as they have been for me.”

Psilocybin, which is obtained from certain types of fresh or dried mushrooms, causes nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness and lack of coordination when used, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. It can also lead to hallucinations and panic reactions.

The psychedelic is classified as a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning it has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in the U.S. and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Its status as a Schedule 1 drug puts it in the same category as heroin and LSD, among others. 

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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