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Recently released reports suggest that hallucinogenic mushrooms may be the most popular psychedelic drug of choice for the public. The reports also determined that most individuals preferred microdosing over a full trip, with one study observing a 1,250% increase in internet search history on microdosing.
The study, which also found that psilocybin searches began outpacing LSD in 2019, was conducted by epidemiologist Eric Leas. The study also determined that the increase in curiosity on microdosing correlated with changes in policies related to both psychedelics and marijuana.
In his study, Leas observed that the more liberal a state became related to drug use, the more interest in microdosing rose in the state. His findings were reported in “JAMA Health Forum.”
A separate study by Rand Corp also estimates that roughly eight million adults in America have used psilocybin in the last 12 months. This makes the drug the most popular hallucinogenic substance of 2023. Psilocybin use surpassing other popular hallucinogens was a surprise to Beau Kilmer, codirector of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center, who was also the lead author of this study.
MDMA was the runner-up, with LSD following close behind. The study surveyed almost 4,000 individuals and determined that about one-half of those who tried psilocybin preferred microdosing. This trend seems to have caught on in varying circles, from suburban moms to individuals in tech.
Kilmer explained that while there was no universal way to define microdosing, it was often regarded to be in the range of 0.05 to 0.1 of a full dose.
The study also determined that most psilocybin microdosers had taken the drug on one or two occasions, while 11% revealed they consumed the drug for more than six days. Additionally, over one-half of those surveyed admitted to taking whole, dried or fresh mushrooms, roughly 14% imbibed a drink or tea, and about a quarter of them took mushrooms in processed form.
When asked why they consumed psilocybin, most respondents gave reasons such as social enjoyment and fun, existential exploration and personal development, and mental health.
The director of the Translational Psychedelic Research program at UCSF, Dr. Joshua Woolley, claims that microdosing isn’t the same as what is being studied in clinical trials evaluating psychedelics’ effectiveness in managing a range of mental-health conditions.
While not much is known about microdosing, a recent review suggests that it may improve cognition and mood. However, not everyone agrees with this opinion, with some noting that it is premature to make a judgment on the safety or effectiveness of microdosing. The work being done by companies such as Seelos Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: SEEL) could help to bridge some of those knowledge gaps.
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