Annual Review of Psychology
August 2, 2024
Keith Humphreys, Daniel Stjepanović, Wayne Hall et al.
18 citations
Many psychedelic drugs lack rigorous evaluation, but the science is improving. Ketamine shows promise for treatment-resistant depression despite risks like addiction and cystitis. MDMA for PTSD and psilocybin for depression, end-of-life dysphoria, and alcohol use disorder merit further replication. The mechanisms of benefit and harm remain unclear. Rigorous research is needed to assess therapeutic potential, and policies should prioritize public health over profit.
Addiction
June 6, 2024
Wayne Hall, Keith Humphreys, John Marsden et al.
18 citations
The current push to broaden the production, sale, and use of psychedelics parallels the movement to legalize cannabis in the United States and other nations, notably through poorly-evidenced therapeutic claims that create a de facto recreational market via the health care system. Experience with cannabis highlights the value of debating legalization for nonmedical use directly rather than misrepresenting it as a medical issue. Lessons from cannabis policy suggest a need to challenge hype of psychedelic research findings, promote rigorous clinical research on dosing and potency, minimize for-profit industry influence, and coordinate federal, state, and local governments to regulate manufacture, sale, and distribution of psychedelic drugs.