Psychedelic Terminology Preference in the 2024 National Survey Investigating Hallucinogenic Trends (NSIHT).
Faith E Lyons, Karilynn M Rockhill, Evelyn J Fox, Elizabeth A Bemis, Joshua C Black, Andrew A Monte, Richard C Dart
Journal of psychoactive drugs March 16, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2026.2644863 via PubMed
Summary
A survey of 2,306 adults who used psychedelics in the past year identified preferences for terminology related to these substances. Specific substance names like psilocybin and ayahuasca were favored, with a median rank of 3, as 24.3% ranked them first. The term 'psychedelics' also had a median rank of 3, with 19.4% ranking it first. Other terms like 'medicines' and 'hallucinogen' ranked lower, indicating a clear preference for specific names over broader terms.
Study at a glance
| Design | cross-sectional survey |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2,306 |
| Population | adults who used a psychedelic in the past 12 months |
| Key finding | Specific substance names were most preferred among respondents, with 24.3% ranking them first. |
Abstract
Expanding regulation and increased use of psychedelic substances requires surveillance of behaviors and health outcomes in the United States. Widely comprehendible terminology is important for surveys. The objective of this study was to determine what psychedelic terminology is preferred among adults who used a psychedelic in the past 12 months. A cross-sectional survey measuring psychedelic use behaviors was administered. A rank-order question was included to assess preferences for seven terminology options ranked first to seventh. Median rank scores (lower medians indicating higher preference) were calculated across subgroups defined by age, education, and level of experience with psychedelic substances. A total of 2,306 respondents were included in the final sample. Among the total sample, specific substance names (e.g., psilocybin, ayahuasca) were most preferred (median rank = 3; 24.3% ranked first), followed by "psychedelics" (3; 19.4%). Other terms that ranked lower included by effect (3; 15.0%), "medicines" (4; 16.2%), "hallucinogen" (4; 13.7%), "entheogens" (5; 8.5%), or something else (6; 2.9%), and patterns were consistent across subgroups. Broader recommendations for terminology use are proposed to assist further survey development.