A prominent attorney who has a history of suing federal agencies to promote marijuana and psychedelics reform has been hired by the Trump administration to work under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Matthew Zorn, who has been a vocal advocate for reform, will serve as the deputy general counsel and is being referred to as the “psychedelics czar” within HHS.
Zorn has a long history of taking HHS and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to court to advance reform issues, including marijuana rescheduling and psychedelics therapy access. He has represented scientists, military veterans, and others in these efforts.
As the deputy general counsel, Zorn will be responsible for spearheading the agency’s psychedelics policy work, which aligns with Kennedy’s own advocacy for ambitious reforms around plant medicine. Kennedy has called for the legalization of psychedelic therapy and has expressed support for freeing up banking services for the cannabis industry.
Zorn’s hiring is seen as a significant development in the Trump administration’s approach to psychedelics, which has been marked by a growing interest in exploring the therapeutic potential of these substances. The FDA has identified exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as psilocybin and ibogaine as a “top priority,” particularly for helping military veterans with serious mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The VA has also expressed interest in exploring psychedelics as a potential therapy option for veterans, with Secretary Doug Collins stating that he is “open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA.”
Zorn’s appointment comes as the Trump administration has been taking steps to increase access to psychedelics for therapeutic purposes. The FDA has approved a number of clinical trials to study the use of psychedelics such as psilocybin and MDMA for treating mental health conditions, and the VA has established a number of programs to provide veterans with access to psychedelic therapy.
Overall, Zorn’s hiring is seen as a significant development in the Trump administration’s approach to psychedelics, and is likely to have a significant impact on the future of psychedelics policy in the United States.
