Journal of affective disorders
March 15, 2025
Kevin H Yang, Wayne Kepner, Charles M Cleland et al.
19 citations
Ketamine use among US adults increased significantly from 2015 to 2019 and again from 2021 to 2022. From 2015 to 2019, use rose among both adults with and without depression, but from 2021 to 2022, an increase occurred only among those without depression. Depression was linked to higher odds of ketamine use in 2015–2019 but not in later years. New correlates emerged in 2021–2022, including adults aged 26–34 and college graduates. Use of other drugs, especially ecstasy/MDMA and gamma-hydroxybutyrate, was consistently associated with higher odds of ketamine use. These shifts may reflect changes in the ketamine landscape or survey methodology.
Journal of addiction medicine
Kevin H Yang, Wayne Kepner, Anamika Nijum et al.
11 citations
An estimated 0.9% of US individuals aged 12 or older used ecstasy/MDMA in the past year, based on a national survey from 2015 to 2020. Use was more common among younger people, with those aged 35–49 as the reference; those over 50 had very low odds of use. Bisexual women and people identifying as Asian, Black, or multiracial had higher odds of use compared with heterosexual men or White individuals. Past-year use of other drugs, prescription drug misuse, nicotine dependence, and alcohol use disorder were also associated with increased odds. The findings can help inform prevention and harm reduction strategies for high-risk subpopulations.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
June 10, 2024
Eric C. Leas, Nora Satybaldiyeva, Wayne Kepner et al.
10 citations
Use of psilocybin-containing mushrooms among U.S. adults rose from 11.4% in 2021 to 12.3% in 2022, making them the most commonly used hallucinogenic substance. This growing interest has spurred a commercial market for other mushrooms, including Amanita muscaria, which contains the psychoactive compounds muscimol and ibotenic acid.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 3, 2025
Wayne Kepner, Patricia Dionicio, Katie Bailey et al.
3 citations
About 1 in 20 Asian American and Pacific Islander adults (5.1%) have used ecstasy/MDMA in their lifetime, based on a nationally representative sample from 2015-2020. Females had higher odds of use than males, and adults aged 26-34 had higher odds than those aged 18-25, while those aged 50 or older had lower odds. Lifetime use of other substances—cannabis, ketamine, LSD, cocaine, psilocybin, prescription opioids, and prescription stimulants—was associated with increased odds of ecstasy/MDMA use. Variations by age, sex, family income, substance type, and mental health service use point to the need for targeted public health strategies.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
May 18, 2026
Kevin H. Yang, Miranda Rasmussen, Kush Bhatt et al.
1 citation
Lifetime use of hallucinogens (LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, or PCP) is associated with a modest increase in the odds of valvular heart disease after accounting for sociodemographic factors and other health conditions. In a large US adult sample, 13.2% reported lifetime hallucinogen use. The unadjusted prevalence of VHD was lower among users (3.6%) than non-users (4.7%), but after adjustment the odds rose slightly (adjusted odds ratio 1.08). The authors call for longitudinal studies to confirm this exploratory finding.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
May 4, 2026
Kevin H. Yang, Nora Satybaldiyeva, Wayne Kepner et al.
1 citation
Cannabis is the most commonly microdosed substance among U.S. adults, with 9.4% (24.1 million) reporting lifetime use, followed by psilocybin (5.3%, 13.7 million), LSD (4.8%, 12.4 million), and MDMA (2.2%, 5.7 million). Cannabis is primarily microdosed for medical reasons such as pain management, whereas psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA are more often used recreationally. Lifetime microdosing is more prevalent among people with poorer mental health and those living in jurisdictions with fewer restrictions on cannabis and psychedelics. As policies continue to evolve, the prevalence of microdosing may increase, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance.