Journal of Drug Issues
January 1, 1992
Charles Grob, Marlene Dobkin De Rios
49 citations
In three tribal societies—Australian Aboriginal males, Tshogana Tsonga females, and Chumash youth—adolescents ingest hallucinogenic plants during initiation rituals as part of a managed, short-term socialization process led by elders for religious and pedagogical purposes. This contrasts with abusive drug patterns among American adolescents. The analysis highlights hypersuggestibility as a cultural technique used to normalize youth in these societies, in contrast to the pathological drug ingestion patterns seen among American adolescents.
Journal of Drug Issues
April 1, 2002
Susanna Prepeliczay
19 citations
Based on 26 narrative interviews with LSD users aged 19 to 53, the research finds that LSD use is largely separate from the party drugs scene, though users often embrace alternative lifestyles. Most participants report that LSD experiences are highly important for their individuation and personality development, driven by motives of self-exploration, desire for perceptual changes, and hedonistic value. Individual background, knowledge, and reaction patterns strongly shape drug effects. Users actively modify LSD-induced states through various methods, which has implications for harm reduction.
Journal of Drug Issues
August 30, 2019
Blake Beaton, Heith Copes, Megan Webb et al.
13 citations
People who microdose classic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin do not excuse their practice but instead justify it using six main strategies: denying that it causes harm, claiming it helps sustain themselves, pursuing self-fulfillment, appealing to normality, citing loyalty to valued groups, and emphasizing their knowledgeable. These justifications help align their actions with societal expectations. The findings come from interviews with 30 individuals who had microdosed.
Journal of Drug Issues
April 1, 1988
Elvin D. Smith
6 citations
Psychedelics are distinct from other drugs because the experiences they provide often compel an ethical approach to living, with spiritual, therapeutic, or exploratory ethics arising spontaneously from the transcendental nature of the experience. Contemporary psychedelic use peaked around 1972 and declined by 1979, but a slow resurgence is indicated as irrational hysteria recedes and new information emerges. Users often adopt ethics similar to those in societies where such drugs are culturally accepted, integrating the experience constructively into ongoing life.
Journal of Drug Issues
August 22, 2024
Heith Copes, Andrew Hochstetler, J. Ragland et al.
3 citations
People who used peyote in a naturalistic setting reported four core areas of change: reduced drug and alcohol misuse, new perspectives on life, improved mental health, and improved physical health. The duration of change varied by type. Participants attributed these changes to an improved ability to endure challenges, rewiring of the brain, and connecting with spiritual selves. The findings suggest specific areas for research on peyote and psychedelics in clinical and therapeutic settings.
Journal of Drug Issues
July 1, 1977
Betty L. Phifer
2 citations
A review of major research studies on psychedelic drug use with terminal cancer patients finds that controlled experimentation with substances like LSD should continue and expand under careful scientific, ethical, and theological scrutiny. Present-day research is concentrated at the Maryland Psychiatric Center, where early pilot studies were conducted. The conclusions of researchers including Eric Kast, Sidney Cohen, Walter Pahnke, William Richards, and Albert Kurland support further investigation. The theological implications, particularly those suggested by Gordon D. Kaufman, are briefly examined.
Journal of Drug Issues
July 1, 2026
Haley M Hummel, Alexia N Obrochta, David C. R. Kerr et al.
People who used both psilocybin and alcohol in the past year reported fewer depressive symptoms compared to those who used alcohol without psilocybin, based on a nationally representative U.S. survey. The analysis adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, survey period, and other substance use. When cannabis and other psychedelic use were not accounted for, psilocybin use was also linked to lower anxiety symptoms. Because the study was observational and relied on self-reports, it cannot show cause and effect. The findings suggest potential mental health benefits of psilocybin when used alongside alcohol, but experimental and long-term studies are needed to confirm.
Journal of Drug Issues
October 31, 2025
Blake Beaton
Microdosing—taking tiny amounts of LSD or psilocybin mushrooms without experiencing euphoria—has become a fast-growing trend in illicit substance use, driven by perceived self-enhancing and therapeutic benefits such as reducing anxiety, depression, and stress. Interviews with active microdosers reveal motivations ranging from improving general wellbeing to helping abstain from other substances participants consider more harmful. This distinguishes microdosing sharply from traditional recreational drug use.
Journal of Drug Issues
April 26, 2025
Shayla Frinton, Jill O. Robinson
People use psilocybin for different reasons depending on whether they take a microdose (0.1–0.4 g) or a macrodose (1 g+), each producing distinct perceptual and mood effects. An online survey measured motives with an adapted Marijuana Motives Measure and found statistically significant differences in motives between the two doses. A thematic analysis further revealed that motives also differ for initiating versus continuing use. These results suggest that harm reduction and public policy should account for dosage-specific motivations.