Perceived harm, motivations for use and subjective experiences of recreational psychedelic ‘magic’ mushroom use
Journal of Psychopharmacology July 17, 2020 Carl Roberts, Isaac Osborne-Miller, Jon C. Cole et al. 33 citations
Both people who have used magic mushrooms and those who have not perceive mushrooms as less dangerous than heroin, cocaine, prescription painkillers, GHB, ecstasy, tobacco, and alcohol. However, those without experience rate mushrooms as significantly more dangerous than users do, and they expect more negative intoxication effects. Users expect greater entactogenic, prosocial, aesthetic, and mood effects, as well as perceptual alterations. Motivations for use predict expected effects—for example, using mushrooms for personal psychotherapy is linked to expecting increased entactogenic and decreased negative effects. The findings align with data on low actual harm but conflict with legal classifications.