Washington is about to dive further into the world of psychedelic research

In a place where "magic mushrooms" grow freely, it's still illegal to possess them in Washington, but the state is preparing for a legalized future.

The Washington state Legislature has mandated that the University of Washington's Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department study the drug's effects on the mind.

Dr. Nathan Sackett, co-director of the Center for Novel Therapeutics in Addiction Psychiatry, is developing the study now. About 40 military veterans and first responders will undergo therapy and supervised sessions on psilocybin. The study will focus on patients who have both post -traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder.

Sackett expects the psilocybin treatment, paired with therapy, will help with PTSD and alcohol use disorder. Patients' sessions will begin by 2025.