I never imagined I’d be testifying at the Hawaiʻi State Legislature.

My name is Vicky Farmer, and I traveled all the way from Kona to do it. I’m a veteran spouse. My husband served 22 years in the U.S. Army as a Special Forces Green Beret, completing 10 combat deployments.

His service came with invisible wounds. He left the VA on 13 medications, a cocktail that left him numb, disconnected, and barely present. We tried everything. Nothing worked.

Ideas showcases stories, opinion and analysis about Hawaiʻi, from the state’s sharpest thinkers, to stretch our collective thinking about a problem or an issue. Email news@civilbeat.org to submit an idea or an essay.

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Several years ago, we found ourselves in a place no family wants to talk about: suicide. My husband survived the war abroad, but almost lost the war at home.

At the same time, I started reading about research showing veterans finding relief through psychedelic-assisted therapy. At first, I thought it sounded radical. But then I read the research, listened to podcasts, watched documentaries. Study after study pointed to hope. That’s when we found VETS Solutions, a nonprofit founded by Navy SEAL Marcus and Amber Capone. 

We applied, got a grant, and got on a plane.

We had to leave the United States because safe, effective treatment wasn’t available here. When my husband first experienced relief — it wasn’t a miracle cure; it was a catalyst for healing. It gave him neuroplasticity, the space to breathe, and the ability to process trauma.

PTSD doesn’t just affect the veteran. It ripples through spouses, children, and entire families — like waves in the ocean. And yet, so does healing. 

Since 2001, 7,000 service members have died in combat. In that same time, 140,000 veterans have died by suicide. For every soldier lost abroad, nearly 20 more were lost to suicide here at home.

This isn’t a statistic. It’s an epidemic.

Every veteran we know has lost a friend to suicide. My husband almost became one of them.

We say, “Thank you for your service.” But gratitude without action is empty if we don’t provide real paths to healing.

This isn’t red or blue. It’s human.

More recently Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, Connecticut, Texas all states moving forward with expanding access to psychedelic therapy. 

Other states are already moving forward:

• Oregon became the first state to legalize psilocybin for supervised use in licensed service centers, laying the groundwork for therapeutic access.
• Colorado followed, legalizing psilocybin therapy statewide.
• New Mexico recently passed the Medical Psilocybin Act, creating a state-regulated program for PTSD, depression, and other conditions.
• Connecticut launched the nation’s first state-funded psychedelic pilot program for veterans and first responders.
• Texas allocated $50 million for clinical trials of ibogaine to treat PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and addiction among veterans.

These states recognize what the research is already showing us: psychedelic therapies can save lives.

Phase 3 clinical trials are near completion. MDMA-assisted therapy is designated a breakthrough by the FDA; approval may be imminent. Psychedelics carry fewer side effects than SSRIs, and more importantly, they offer actual healing not just chemical patching.

But veterans, first responders, and families like mine cannot and should not wait years for policy to catch up. Families are breaking now. Lives are being lost now.

That’s why I believe Hawaiʻi should expand legal access to psychedelics — whether through state programs like those in New Mexico, research initiatives like those in Texas, or efforts to decriminalize access so that practitioners and doctors can begin this work safely.

We have the opportunity to craft a uniquely Hawaiian approach, one that prioritizes safety, equity, and community. We can shine a light for the nation. Senate Bill 3199 would establish a Mental Health Emerging Therapies Task Force to “prepare the state for the integration of breakthrough therapies, expansion of pathways for clinical trials and clinical research, and development of policy recommendations for safe, ethical, and culturally informed implementation of emerging therapies.”

Veterans deserve healing. First responders deserve healing. Families deserve healing. The people of Hawaiʻi deserve healing — now.

My husband served this country for 22 years. He should not have to leave it to heal.

Let Hawaiʻi shine the light. Let Hawaiʻi be the beacon.