The Impact of Communicating the Benefits and Safety of Psilocybin on Policy Support: a Survey Based Experiment
International Journal of Drug Policy August 1, 2025 Karla Hitchins, James P. Reynolds 1 citation
Providing evidence about the benefits and safety of psilocybin increases public support for psilocybin-related policies. In an online experiment with 804 participants, those who received information about psilocybin's benefits showed greater overall policy support and stronger beliefs that psilocybin is both beneficial and safe. Those who received safety information also showed greater policy support and stronger beliefs about safety, but not about benefits. The effects were small (Cohen's d between 0.10 and 0.44). The authors suggest that communicating benefits and safety can shape attitudes, but note that further research is needed on how long these effects last.