Religion, Psychedelics, Risky Behavior, and Violence.
Journal of psychoactive drugs January 1, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2024.2346132 via PubMed
Summary
Psychedelic use is linked to reduced violent behavior, and this relationship is influenced by religious participation and beliefs. An analysis of data from 282,768 individuals shows that those with high levels of religious salience experience a smaller association between risky behavior and violence when using psychedelics. The findings highlight the complex interplay between psychedelics and religion in shaping behavioral outcomes.
Study at a glance
| Design | observational cohort |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 282,768 |
| Population | adults surveyed in the National Survey of Drug Use and Health from 2015 to 2019 |
| Key finding | Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use and religious factors are independently associated with reduced violence. |
Abstract
Research has found that psychedelic use is associated with positive behavioral changes, however research has yet to explore the relationship between socio-cultural conditions on this relationship. This paper intends to fill this gap by testing the effects of religious participation and beliefs on the relationship between psychedelic use and behaviors. This study examines the relationship between Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use (LCPU), different aspects of religion (such as salience and attendance), and the likelihood of committing a violent assault. The analysis uses pooled data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2015 to 2019, with a sample size of 282,768. Binary logistic regression models conducted in Stata 17 reveal that LCPU and religion (salience and influence) are independently associated with reduced violence. Additionally, two-way interactions indicate that the association between risky behavior and violence is smaller among individuals with high levels of religious salience. Furthermore, a three-way interaction suggests that the association between risky behavior and violence is smaller for those who have used psychedelics, with the largest effect observed among individuals with high religious salience. These results show that religious factors can influence the relationship between psychedelic use and behaviors, with both attendance and salience operating simultaneously.