Study Shows Psychedelic Drug Use Is Steady | Drug Abuse

A mention of psychedelic drugs may bring to mind the free living of the 1960s. Images surface of a time gone by, when experimentation was new to many young people and celebrated by some groups.

However, a new study shows that this perception may not match the reality. Far from being a time gone by, the study provides evidence that psychedelic drug use is no relic from the ‘60s. It is, instead, a common practice that ranges from experimentation to religious ritual.

The study, authored by Teri S. Krebs and Pal-Orjan Jansen of the Department of Neuroscience at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, relied on data from over 57,000 respondents. The findings are published under the title “Over 30 million psychedelic users in the United States.”

The study authors utilized results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a function of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The study used telephone surveys, asking individuals 12 years and older about their drug use and other health-related topics.

The analysis showed that an estimated 32 million individuals in the United States have tried LSD, psilocybin (“magic mushrooms”), or mescaline (peyote and other types of cacti). Between the ages of 21 and 64, 17 percent of individuals have tried these drugs.

The age group where the largest concentration of psychedelic drug users was found was in the 30 to 34 age group. In this age range, 26 percent of males and 15 percent of females had tried some form of psychedelic drug.

The researchers explain that the rate of lifetime psychedelic drug use has not changed significantly in the decades since the ‘60s. The drugs continue to be widely used. However, there are several aspects of psychedelic drugs that make them different than other drugs.

The effects of the drugs, the way they work in the body, and the risks associated with them are clearly distinguishable from other drugs. They do not carry a risk of physical harm, they don’t lead to addiction and experts generally believe them to be less risky than alcohol or other types of drugs.

Psychedelic drugs, however, can cause anxiety and an experience of confusion.

The study authors note that older adults were more likely to have a lifetime history of LSD or mescaline use, while younger adults seemed to be more attracted to the use of “magic mushrooms.” The use of the mushrooms has been shown to have increased during the years since the 1970s.

The drugs are often sought for their reportedly mystical effects. The use of plants with psychedelic effects for such purposes has been traced as far back as 5,000 years.

To understand the effects of psychedelic drugs on humans further – read:

New Research Opens Door For Directly Understanding Effects of Psychedelics on Humans