Marris, who works at the University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work, was the featured speaker at Sunday’s Profs and Pints event, a national lecture series hosted by college professors. An executive order President Donald Trump signed in April “opens doors” for a deeper understanding of how psychedelic drugs can play a role in therapy for substance use disorders and mental health challenges, she said. Drugs like LSD, MDMA, ketamine and other psychedelics can be used to treat depression, anxiety, addiction and other mental health disorders, Marris said. Psychedelics disrupt traditional neural connectivity patterns, allowing for new possibilities and ways of thinking. The D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area is a “model” for other states in terms of psychedelics, Marris said, pointing to Maryland’s psychedelic task force and Washington’s decriminalization of some psychedelics.