Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Veterans Affairs recently advocated for exploring unverified psychedelic drugs for therapeutic purposes in her book, and in a newsletter, she suggested that using mushrooms had aided her in finding a romantic partner.

Dr. Kacy Mins' proposal for psilocybin-assisted therapy warrants attention, despite the fact that psilocybin remains federally illegal, classified as a Schedule I drug due to its perceived lack of accepted medical use and high potential for abuse; although Oregon and Colorado have legalized psychedelic therapy, several cities in Oregon have subsequently opted to prohibit it.

The Surgeon General's mandate is to furnish Americans with the most scientifically sound information to enhance their health and mitigate the risks of disease and injury. Predecessors in this role have historically leveraged the position to educate the populace on critical public health issues, ranging from AIDS awareness to suicide prevention. Notably, the Surgeon General's 1964 advisory concerning the perils of smoking catalyzed a paradigm shift in American health policy.

While figures like Dr. C. Everett Koop, Surgeon General under President Ronald Reagan, achieved considerable influence and widespread recognition, others have faded into obscurity.

Mins' nomination aligns with Trump's established pattern of favoring candidates with strong public appeal over those with specific policy expertise, as evidenced by his own admission that he based his decision solely on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recommendation, stating, "Bobby thought she was great," while conceding his own unfamiliarity with her.

Dr. Mins, who holds both undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University, commenced a medical residency in Oregon but did not complete it; her medical license is currently registered as inactive. When contacted by phone, Dr. Mins declined to comment on the official record.

In her 2024 book, "Good Energy," she references psychedelics, a work co-authored with her brother, Cali Mince, who currently serves as a health advisor in the Trump administration; Cali Mince has disclosed investments in a biopharmaceutical company specializing in psychedelics.

The book primarily concentrates on metabolic health, or what Dr. Mince refers to as "good energy," presenting various strategies for managing and rectifying the stressors, traumas, and thought patterns that impede metabolic wellness and hinder overall flourishing.

One particular strategy involves considering psilocybin-assisted therapy, referring to the compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, a topic which she elaborates on at length in a 750-word exposition.

She wrote, "Should you feel a calling, I would advocate exploring intentional and guided psilocybin therapy; compelling scientific evidence suggests this psychedelic treatment can constitute one of the most profoundly meaningful experiences in one's life, as it has proven to be in mine."

While some research suggests potential benefits of psychedelics, it remains unproven whether these advantages outweigh the inherent risks. Psilocybin, known to induce both euphoric and terrifying hallucinations lasting several hours, has been explored in conjunction with psychotherapy for treating mental health conditions and alcohol dependence, yet studies involving healthy individuals remain scarce. Potential adverse effects include elevated heart rate, nausea, and headaches, and unsupervised consumption poses significant dangers. Hallucinations may lead users to engage in perilous behaviors, such as stepping into traffic.

Dr. Mins delved into the stigmatized history surrounding psilocybin and other psychedelic substances, while also underscoring the potential benefits of MDMA – commonly known as ecstasy or molly – particularly its reported efficacy in treating PTSD, despite the FDA's decision against approving it as a PTSD treatment last year, following an advisory panel's assessment of the supporting research as flawed and posing significant risks.

In her book, Dr. Mins refers to psychedelics as "plant medicine," recounting her initial experience with psilocybin mushrooms around January 1, 2021, and describing how she was inspired by an internal voice that whispered, "Time to prepare."

In her writing, she expressed a sense of interconnectedness, perceiving her existence as a component of an infinite, unbroken lineage of mothers and infants, akin to a cosmic nesting doll; elaborating on her experience, she added that "psilocybin can serve as a portal to alternative realities, transcending the confines of ego, emotions, and personal narrative."

In her October newsletter, Dr. Mins revealed her use of psychedelics at age 35 to cultivate a "space for finding love." She detailed undergoing a plant medicine experience with a trusted guide as preparation for partnership, concluding the statement with a mushroom emoji, while explicitly advising against others necessarily replicating her actions.

In her health policy agenda for the White House this month, she outlined aspirations to provide more nutritious food in schools, implement warning labels on ultra-processed foods, push for investigations into vaccine safety, and eliminate conflicts of interest; while she didn't explicitly mention psychedelics, she did suggest that researchers have fewer incentives to study "generic, natural, and non-patentable drugs and therapies," advocating for the allocation of research funding towards alternative health approaches.

Similarly, Keli Minnis champions the use of psychedelic drugs, noting in a 2021 blog post that she first experimented with psilocybin during a difficult period in her life, describing it as "personally, professionally, and spiritually the most meaningful experience of my life." In 2022, she disclosed that she had "sold [her] entire 401k" to purchase stock in two companies developing and researching psychedelics, and has not responded to related inquiries.

A hearing for Dr. Casey Meins has not yet been scheduled; his nomination came after President Trump withdrew his initial Surgeon General nominee, former Fox News medical contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, following scrutiny of her credentials.