Psilocybin, peyote, mescaline, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) use in a nationally representative population by cancer history.
Journal of Clinical Oncology June 1, 2024 Amrit Baral, Yue Pan, Alberto J. Caban Martinez et al.
Among a large US-representative sample of adults, 14% reported lifetime use of classic psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, or peyote). Use was lowest among those with a past cancer diagnosis (12.3%) compared to those recently diagnosed (14.0%) or with no cancer history (14.1%). Each psychedelic was used more often by recently diagnosed than past-diagnosed adults. Among 18-to-34-year-olds, recent cancer patients had about 3.5 times higher odds of peyote use than those without cancer. In adults aged 50 or older, past cancer diagnosis was linked to 21% lower odds of peyote use. The findings suggest patterns of psychedelic use differ by cancer history and age, though the study cannot determine whether use preceded or followed diagnosis.