Preferences, Perceptions, and Environmental Considerations of Natural and Synthetic Psychedelic Substances: Findings from the Global Psychedelic Survey
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – December 24, 2024
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Despite a strong preference for natural psychedelics, 67.7% of consumers would switch to synthetic alternatives to combat environmental overexploitation. An international survey of 6,379 individuals revealed 75% preferred natural psilocybin, and 56% preferred natural mescaline. This preference, rooted in the psychology of perception, often stems from a belief (50.8%) that natural origins impact psychological effects. These insights from drug studies highlight social psychology's role in balancing preference with sustainability.
Abstract
Although several studies have well described the characteristics of people who use psychedelics alongside their motivations and beliefs, little research has examined the preferences surrounding the source of psychedelic substances. In an anonymous online survey, we collected data from 6,379 consumers of 11 different psychedelic substances from 85 different countries, exploring their preferences and perceptions on natural and synthetic psychedelics. There was a strong preference of natural sources over synthetic alternatives for psilocybin (75%), DMT (56%), and mescaline (56%). Moreover, 50.8% of respondents believed that the source impacts the psychedelic's psychological and physiological effects, while 34.4% of respondents had a neutral stance on the topic. Despite the preference for natural sources, 67.7% of respondents agreed to switch to using synthetic alternatives to psychedelic substances if it would lessen the environmental impacts caused by the overharvesting of natural sources. This study presents novel insights into consumer preferences on the source of popular psychedelic substances. This international survey is limited to respondents primarily belonging to anglophone regions of the world.