The use of psilocybins has increased in the United States since 2019

The use of psilocybin – The active compound in the so -called “magic fungi” – has increased considerably in the United States since 2019, according to a new study published in the Annals of internal medicine. Based on data from five national sources, the researchers have found a strong increase in life and recent use, especially in adults with symptoms of anxiety, depression and chronic pain.

Psilocybin is a natural hallucinogen found in certain species of mushrooms. He drew growing scientific and public attention due to first promising studies suggesting that this can help treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance consumption disorders. Although it is not currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, psilocybin has entered clinical trials and has been decriminalized or legalized in certain parts of Oregon, Colorado and several municipalities. This changing legal landscape has raised questions as to whether wider public use increases – and what could be the consequences of public health.

“With efforts to legalize psilocybin mushrooms from Colorado, Oregon, and elsewhere in progress, we wanted to determine if there were more people using psilocybin mushrooms now that when legalization has passed here in Denver in 2019,” said Joshua Black, co-border author and main scientist at Rocky Mountain and Drug Safety Health.

To investigate these trends, researchers have analyzed five main sources of American data to examine the use of psilocybins from 2014 to 2023: the national consumption and drug health survey, the survey of non -medical use of prescription drugs, monitoring of the future, the national data system on poison and the National Hospital Ambilalatory MEDICAL CARE. By comparing the responses through these sources, the team aimed to follow the changes in which uses psilocybin, how often, and to know if they appear in health establishments accordingly.

The researchers chose 2019 as a key reference, because that year marked the first changes in legal policy concerning psilocybin in the United States. Until then, the user models were relatively stable. But after 2019, things started to change. According to the national survey on drug use and health, the life use of psilocybin in adults increased from 10% (approximately 25 million people) in 2019 to 12.1% (more than 31 million people) in 2023. Among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, use for life increased more modestly, from 1.1% to 1.3%.

The increases were even more dramatic when looking for recent use. Among adults aged 18 to 29, use of last year increased from 44% from 2019 to 2023. Among adults aged 30 and over, he jumped 188%. By 2023, 2.1% of adults said they used psilocybin in the past year – more than the number that has consumed cocaine, LSD, methamphetamine or illegal opioids.

“Many more people use psilocybin mushrooms,” Black told Psypost. “And we have observed increases in many different age groups.

Monitoring the future study, which focuses on adolescents, also revealed that the use of last year among 12th year students increased by 53% during the same period, reaching 2.5% in 2023. Most users were younger and more likely to be male compared to the general population, according to the non -medical use of prescription drugs.

“We were surprised to see how consistent the information was between data sources. Use in communities and the number of health care interactions were both higher in 2023 than in 2019. ”

Mental and physical health seemed to be the main engines of use. People with moderate with severe anxiety or depression were about three times more likely to have used psilocybin in the past year compared to those with softer symptoms. A similar scheme has been observed among those suffering from chronic pain. These results suggest that a substantial number of people can turn to psilocybin in order to manage current health problems, perhaps influenced by the growing media attention on its therapeutic potential.

Although the study revealed little evidence that psilocybin users flooded emergencies, it revealed a sharp increase in calls to poison control centers. Between 2019 and 2023, these calls increased by 201% for adults, 317% for adolescents and 723% for children aged 11 and under. In 2023 alone, American poison centers received more than 1,100 calls related to adult psilocybin exhibitions, more than 500 involving adolescents and nearly 300 involving children. In particular, the vast majority of these cases have led to a form of health care contact.

On the other hand, the official hospital data showed only three emergency cases involving psilocybin between 2015 and 2021. This divergence highlights a problem with the way in which medical systems are currently following health incidents related to psychedelic. Researchers suggest that existing diagnostic codes – used in hospital files – cannot precisely capture psilocybin cases.

Researchers have stressed that the growing use of psilocybin, in particular for self-treatment, creates a need for better education, surveillance and policy. “Public opinions on psilocybin change,” said Black. “However, this means that we must also make sure that people understand the risks, know how to use it safely if they wish and that health care systems are prepared.”

The author co-directed Karynn Rockhill added that the speed of change had surprised the research team. “What really surprised us is how fast these figures have changed and how many people using psilocybin had conditions such as depression, anxiety or chronic pain,” she said.

The study had certain limits. All data came from self-detached surveys, which are subject to inaccuracies such as sub-declaration or exaggeration. In addition, although the study has examined national trends, it has not explored state differences by state, which could be important given the local nature of drug policy in the United States. However, based on several large -scale data sets, the study offers one of the most complete views to date of the evolution of the use of psilocybins.

“We would like to study how sure it is and effective to use psilocybin mushrooms in the community,” said Black. “With legalization likely to increase availability and reduce stigma, we want to make sure that the public and decision -makers have the information they need to make decisions based on evidence.”

“A main message that we have for the public is a plan before tripping,” he added. “Find a safe place to use and find someone you trust to be present. We do not recommend using alone, especially for the first time.”

The study, “The Rise of Psilocybin uses the United States: A Multisource Observation Study”, was written by Karynn M. Rockhill, Joshua C. Black, Michael S. Ladka, Kanku B. Sumbundu, Heather A. Olsen, Jennifer S. Jewell, Joshua Hunt, R. Cameron Wolf, Karuna Nerurkar, Richard C. Darte.