NIDA: Psilocybin mushroom seizures rose significantly
Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly – February 16, 2024
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Law enforcement seizures of psilocybin mushrooms surged across the United States from 2017 to 2022. This dramatic rise, tracked by the HIDTA program, reveals a complex, almost mathematical rose-like pattern in the increasing presence of these psychedelics. While the potential of psilocybin in medicine and psychology is explored in drug studies, the growing volume of mushroom seizures highlights evolving public health challenges. Understanding the chemical synthesis of alkaloids and their neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior remains crucial as this trend continues.
Abstract
A National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)‐funded study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence titled “National and Regional Trends in Seizures of Shrooms (Psilocybin) in the United States, 2017‐2022” reported a significant increase in law enforcement seizures of psilocybin mushrooms, also known as “magic mushrooms” or “shrooms,” in the United States from January 2017 to December 2022. The study is based on data from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program , which tracks law enforcement seizures in hotspots across the country. Key findings include: