In late May, a key GOP House committee approved a defense bill that also included some fine print about marijuana and psychedelics, including a proposal to prohibit military branches from testing recruits for cannabis. The House Armed Services Committee passed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on May 22. A provision calls for an update from the Department of Defense (DOD) on the status of its psychedelic clinical trials and psychedelic therapy that are being conducted as prescribed under the 2024 version of the bill. An amendment from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) would require DOD to issue a report on how many service members have been discharged due to marijuana. Some military branches now issue waivers to recruits who test positive for cannabis on their first drug test. Section 531 says “Subject to subsection (a) of section 504 of chapter 31 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the military department concerned may not require an individual to submit to a test for cannabis as a condition of enlistment of such individual as a member, or the commission of such individual as an officer, of an Armed Force.” In 2023, the Department of Defense reported that delta-9 THC is the most common substance they see in drug tests performed on active duty military. Additionally, mental health studies are part of ongoing efforts to understand the broader implications of these substances.