A state lawmaker wants Kentucky to explore the potential benefits of a powerful psychedelic, which could be used to treat drug addiction, PTSD and depression.

Our Emily Sisk explains the purpose of Senate Bill 77.

As we kick off tonight's legislative update.

It's a simple bill that may, in the future, have one of the greatest impacts on our society since the recognition that antibiotics.

Republican Senator Donald Douglas, once Kentucky to take the lead in researching ibogaine, a powerful psychedelic that's native to West Africa and comes from the root bark.

There is evidence that ibogaine can be used to treat drug addiction and PTSD.

It's given under a doctor's guidance of doctors supervision and in a controlled environment where the patient is watched closely over about 24 to 48 hours post-treatment.

Of course, we recommend counseling, and that counseling is suggested to help deal with some of the remaining psychosocial changes that the patient may go through right now.

Ibogaine is an illegal drug in the United States.

Earlier this week in the Senate Health Services Committee, lawmakers heard from former substance users who had traveled to Mexico to receive the treatment.

A Lexington man explained how the treatment changed his life.

If you think if anybody is skeptical if ibogaine works, you should listen to the words of my ten year old son when I came back home, when asked, give me three things that you notice about daddy.

It's different post post treatment.

And he said.

He said, you're not angry anymore.

You don't yell.

You smile more, which makes me think he's happier.

And he makes more time for hugs.

That's what I do it for me.

Senate Bill 77 sets up a framework for clinical research of ibogaine.

An amendment to the bill removed language that called for research funding from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Committee.

Only a handful of other states are participating in ibogaine research currently.

But Senator Douglas wants Kentucky to join that group.

Some people say, well, what about the side effects?

And to that I always say, well, why do you think we want to do research and studies?

We've got to do that.

Another Republican lawmaker, a former Navy Seal, voiced his support for the bill, saying he's seen the drug work for fellow servicemen.

Some of my colleagues may be side eye in this bill a little bit because it has to do with psychedelics, and I honestly would be one of those folks as well.

Had I not seen dozens and dozens of my Seal of Navy Seal brothers who have had to travel out of the country to, to take part in in this type of treatment, many of these folks, my brothers, were days or weeks away from committing suicide from issues that they had from post-traumatic and brain injuries.

And this is the only thing that we know of that actually works.

Senate Bill 77 passed off the Senate floor with a vote of 35 to 2, and advances to the House for consideration there for Kentucky edition.

I'm enjoying this.

Thank you.

Emily.

Senator Donald Douglas, who was the sponsor, said a handful of other states, including West Virginia and Tennessee, have already signed off on ibogaine research.