Psilocybin Use Is Rising in the U.S.

Social and legal acceptance of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs is growing in the U.S. Two states have legalized psilocybin: Oregon (in 2020) and Colorado (in 2022); others appear to be ready to follow suit. Researchers used five nationally representative datasets, including health surveys and poison center data, to describe recent patterns of psilocybin use in the U.S.

Between 2019 and 2023, prevalence of lifetime use among adults increased from 10.0% to 12.1%, and lifetime use among adolescents (age range, 12–17) increased from 1.1% to 1.3%. Past-year use among young adults (age range, 18–29) increased from 2.4% to 3.5%. Poison centers reported a threefold increase in psilocybin exposures among adults and a fourfold increase among ad…