A placebo can produce psychedelic-like experiences in some people when the setting and expectations are carefully arranged. In a 4-hour group study with music, colored lights, and visual projections, 33 students took a placebo described as a psilocybin-like drug. Many reported no changes, but others showed effects as strong as those from moderate or high psilocybin doses. Most (61%) verbally reported some effect, such as seeing paintings move or reshape, feeling heavy, or experiencing a "come down" and then another "wave." Context and expectations can mimic psychedelic effects even without the drug.
First responders such as firefighters and police officers experience high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. A survey of 102 first responders in Canada and the United States found that they reported higher distress and illicit drug use than the general population, and few who sought professional treatment felt it helped. Most respondents expressed interest in LSD- or marijuana-assisted therapy, with preferences about setting, therapist presence, and dose influencing their willingness to participate. The findings suggest that psychedelic therapy may be especially relevant for this population.