Classic psychedelic and cannabis use among U.S. cancer survivors aged ≥ 50 years: nationally representative estimates by cancer type/site.
Cancer causes & control : CCC April 22, 2026 Amrit Baral, Yue Pan, Wayway M Hlaing et al.
Among U.S. adults aged 50 and older, lifetime cannabis use was similar for cancer survivors (41.6%) and those without cancer (42.6%) between 2015 and 2019, while lifetime use of classic psychedelics like LSD (8.9% vs. 10.3%) and psilocybin (6.4% vs. 7.7%) was slightly lower among survivors. Co-use of both cannabis and classic psychedelics was also lower in survivors (11.2%) than in those without cancer (12.6%). By 2021-2022, these group differences were no longer statistically significant. Prevalence varied by cancer type, with highest co-use among survivors of head and neck, cervical, and hepatobiliary/pancreatic cancers. Substance use patterns among cancer survivors are not uniform and differ across subgroups.