Cultural Divergence in Psychedelic Use among Medical Students: An ESPAD-Adapted Survey among Poles and Iraqis.
Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ March 5, 2024 Ahmed Al-Imam, Marek A. Motyka, Michal Michalak 2 citations
Among 739 medical students surveyed in Poland and Iraq, Polish students reported much higher psychedelic use (21.6%) than Iraqi students (1.2%). Factors associated with increased use included lacking a committed religious belief system, perceiving low risk from sporadic use, residing in Poland, positive attitudes toward psychedelics, frequent social nightlife, male gender, and cigarette smoking. The findings suggest that cultural, religious, and social factors strongly influence psychedelic awareness and use, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive prevention efforts.