Decriminalization and legalization of psilocybin in several U.S. cities and states (Oregon and Colorado) have led to a significant increase in public interest in psilocybin, as measured by web search volume, while simultaneously reducing search interest in other psychedelics like LSD and MDMA. This shift occurred nationwide, even in states without psilocybin reforms. The authors suggest that moving public attention toward psilocybin, considered safer with lower overdose and hospitalization risks, has positive public health implications.
Psilocybin reforms in the United States, including decriminalization in several cities and legalization in Oregon, are associated with a shift in psychedelic use: people substitute LSD and MDMA with psilocybin. Analysis of panel data from the Monitoring the Future project shows this substitution pattern. Because psilocybin has potential therapeutic benefits and lower associated risks than LSD and MDMA, the findings suggest a possible public health benefit from these reforms. The paper also discusses consumer safety concerns amid growing venture capital interest in the psilocybin drug market and advises caution.