Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2023
B Romeo, B Fauvel, S Dejean et al.
14 citations
A retrospective online survey of 173 smokers who had a psychedelic experience found that average cigarettes per day and the proportion with high tobacco dependency dropped significantly afterward. Participants who reduced or quit smoking reported more intense mystical experiences during the session and lower psychological flexibility before it. Increased psychological flexibility after the session and personal motives for taking the psychedelic were positive predictors of smoking reduction or cessation. The findings suggest that a naturalistic psychedelic experience can be linked to reduced tobacco use, with the intensity of the mystical experience, personal motives, and gains in psychological flexibility playing key roles.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2011
Radmila Lorencova
14 citations
People who use both marijuana and alcohol score higher in the mysticism dimension of spirituality than those who only drink alcohol, according to a new Czech questionnaire. Individuals who attribute their spiritual feelings to drug use report greater spirituality than those who do not. Gender, age, education, and profession show no significant effect on spirituality, but religious and nonreligious drug users differ in specific spiritual dimensions. The findings are based on 155 respondents using the Prague Spiritual Questionnaire.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 1999
M D De Rios, R Stachalek
14 citations
Plant hallucinogens like those from the Duboisia genus (pituri) were used by Australian Aboriginal tribal elders to induce suggestible states in youth, particularly during pubertal initiatory rituals marking the transition to manhood. This practice served to rapidly educate young people and inculcate cultural values, beliefs, and religious tenets, contributing to cultural cohesiveness and survival. The article examines suggestibility as a psychological characteristic of altered states and as a normal human phenomenon, drawing on a 100-item bibliography from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. It also reviews botanical and chemical data on Duboisia use up to the end of the nineteenth century, describing how the hallucinogen functioned as a psychotechnology.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2025
Sean M Viña
12 citations
Lifetime classic psychedelic use and religious participation are each independently linked to a lower likelihood of committing violent assault. The protective association between risky behavior and violence is weaker among people who consider religion highly salient in their lives. Among those who have used psychedelics, the link between risky behavior and violence is smallest for individuals with strong religious salience. Both religious attendance and personal religious significance appear to work together in shaping this relationship.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 1989
R Noll
11 citations
Anthropological investigations of shamans and their altered states of consciousness have inherited prescriptive problems from psychology, including dichotomies such as conscious versus unconscious mental processes, objectivism versus subjectivism, environmentalism versus nativism, and others. These perspectives have colored assumptions in the field but have not prevented the acquisition of new knowledge about shamanism. However, a resolution of these problems remains lacking due to insufficient data.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2023
Carla Mendes Soares, Ângela Leite, Marta Pinto
10 citations
Based on interviews with 19 psychedelic users, the experience of using psychedelics can function as a form of self-care, particularly in ceremonial, recreational, or private settings. Self-perception and existential meaningfulness were the main mechanisms through which self-care occurred. Participants also reported difficult experiences and adversities that hindered self-care. The findings suggest that for some individuals, psychedelic use may be integrated into a self-care process and potentially improve self-care abilities outside of clinical settings.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2023
Daniel J Kruger, Nicolas G Glynos, Christopher W Fields et al.
10 citations
People who use psychedelics and have higher education, lower age, greater frequency of use, male gender, White/Caucasian identity, higher income, and experience with more types of psychedelics tend to know more about legal status, active compounds, and therapeutic efficacy. A survey of 1,435 participants recruited at a psychedelic advocacy event and online showed overall high knowledge, but gaps remain, highlighting the need for targeted education and harm reduction outreach, especially in under-represented communities.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2024
Daniel J Kruger, Carlton Cb Bone, Meredith C Meacham et al.
9 citations
A survey of THC-O-acetate users found that the semi-synthetic cannabinoid produces low to moderate cognitive distortions—altered sense of time, concentration difficulties, and short-term memory problems—with few visuals or hallucinations. Scores on the Mystical Experience Questionnaire were significantly below the threshold for a complete mystical experience across all four dimensions. Users who had previously used classic psychedelics (5-HT2A agonists) scored lower on all dimensions. When asked directly, 79% of respondents said using THC-O-acetate is "not at all" or "a little" of a psychedelic experience. Some reports of psychedelic effects may stem from expectations or contaminants.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2024
Julia M K Freind, Fernando R Beserra, Bruno S Menezes et al.
9 citations
Depression is a widespread mental health disorder that causes severe emotional suffering and increases suicide risk. Ketamine and esketamine have expanded treatment options. A systematic review following PRISMA criteria analyzed existing protocols for treating depression with these substances. Results showed a predominance of medical approaches, with few studies on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy or other psychedelic-assisted therapies. Limited information was reported on psychosocial elements like preparation, psychological support during sessions, and integration of experiences. These findings suggest that treatment practices for depression with ketamine or esketamine diverge from those used with other psychedelic substances, highlighting directions for future research.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2023
Anja Loizaga-Velder, Cecile Giovannetti, Ricardo Campoy Gomez et al.
9 citations
An outpatient therapeutic program run by Yaqui health professionals and traditional healers for Yaqui tribe members in Sonora, Mexico, combines traditional Indigenous healing practices—including sweatlodge (temazcal), medicinal plants, and ritual use of naturally derived psychedelics such as ayahuasca, peyote, and Incilius alvarius secretions—with culturally adapted group and individual psychotherapy, sports, meals, construction work, and cultural activities. Three case studies from an ongoing observational study show therapeutic progress and improved psychometric outcomes, suggesting this intercultural approach holds promise for addressing substance use disorders and mental health issues in Indigenous communities.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 10, 2025
Ana Cláudia Mesquita Garcia, Lucas Oliveira Maia, Everson Meireles et al.
8 citations
A survey of 517 Brazilian adults found that people who never or almost never used psychedelics reported higher death anxiety than those who had used them. The study also validated the Death Anxiety Scale in Brazil. Death transcendence—especially creative and religious forms—consistently explained variations in death anxiety across all models. A negative relationship emerged between death anxiety and mystical and religious factors of death transcendence. The authors interpret that psychedelics themselves do not directly reduce death anxiety; rather, they may facilitate experiences of transcending death—the sense of continuity beyond physical death, whether spiritual or symbolic—which in turn helps lower death anxiety.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2023
Meris Williams, Annie Kingston Miller, Anja Loizaga-Velder et al.
8 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychedelic plant medicine from the Amazon, is being studied as a potential novel intervention for eating disorders (EDs), which have high mortality, chronicity, and treatment drop-out rates. Interviews with 15 ayahuasca ceremony leaders revealed two main categories of perspectives. Leaders conceptualized EDs as symptomatic of underlying concerns, serving a function and affecting health across multiple domains. They described ayahuasca's potential therapeutic mechanisms as facilitating energetic healing, helping identify and process the root of the ED, promoting holistic healing, and enhancing relationships. From ceremony leaders' views, ceremonial ayahuasca may offer a useful complementary intervention for EDs.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
March 1, 2009
Frederick Dannaway
8 citations
Esoteric Buddhism in Japan preserved and incorporated ancient soma/amrita mushroom lore from the Vedic tradition, traced through Indian, Chinese, and Tibetan influences. The article argues that psycho-sexual drug yoga techniques, often cloaked in alchemical and metallurgical terms, reached sophisticated levels in these traditions. Gordon Wasson's identification of soma as the mushroom Amanita muscaria provides a key link. Despite numerous cultural filters, key components, practices, and symbolism of this plant-based ritualism were retained in Japan's mountain ascetic mysticism.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
June 18, 2025
Rafaelle Lancelotta, Meghan DellaCrosse, Diana Quinn et al.
7 citations
Among 346 LGBTQIA+ individuals, mostly White and in their early 30s, those who used psychedelics reported improvements in mental health and shifts in gender and sexual identity. Retrospective reports showed large reductions in traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety, along with increased psychological flexibility. A significant link emerged between the intensity of the psychedelic experience and greater self-acceptance and sexual identity exploration. Most participants (77%) saw therapeutic potential in psychedelics for gender dysphoria, and 65% reported changes in gender identity attitudes after use. The findings suggest psychedelics may support identity exploration and mental health in this population, warranting further research.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
February 20, 2025
B A Pagni, A Halman, J Sarris et al.
7 citations
In adults with no prior exposure to ayahuasca who participated in neo-shamanic ceremonies, improvements in depression, anxiety, stress, negative affect, negative emotionality, acceptance of external influence, and self-alienation were observed at all time points up to 12 months. Mental health, self-efficacy, and spirituality improved for up to a year. Individuals diagnosed with depressive or anxiety disorders maintained significant symptom reductions, while those without a diagnosis experienced only short-term benefits. Decreases in alcohol and cannabis use were limited to one month after the ceremony. The findings suggest ayahuasca use is associated with lasting mental health improvements, especially for those with clinical diagnoses, with varying trajectories of change across different psychological constructs.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2024
Maria Helha Fernandes-Nascimento, André Brooking Negrão, Karine Viana-Ferreira et al.
7 citations
Ibogaine, a natural psychoactive drug, has been studied for treating substance use disorders since the mid-1960s. A scientometric analysis of publications from 1993 to 2022 found 1523 references, with linear growth in the first and third decades and lower average publications in 1993-2002 than in later decades. Researchers from five continents contributed, with US and Canadian academic centers most productive. Early keywords included cocaine, tobacco, morphine, and alcohol; opioids and psychedelics emerged in the third decade. Only one preclinical meta-analysis and no human meta-analyses were found. Research trends are widespread and growing, underscoring the need for rigorous clinical trials on ibogaine's efficacy and safety.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2022
Kristina Domanski, Steven W Fleming, Hayden Maag et al.
7 citations
A 28-year-old man with a history of polysubstance use arrived at an Emergency Department in a dissociated state after snorting 2-fluorodeschloroketamine (2-FDCK), a ketamine derivative available online for as little as $12 per gram. He recovered with supportive care, and urine analysis confirmed 2-FDCK metabolites. This case is the first reported in the United States, highlighting that the drug is easily obtainable online and has significant abuse potential.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2011
Robin Rodd, Arelis Sumabila
7 citations
Among the Cuiva and Piaroa peoples of the Orinoco region, yopo—a hallucinogenic snuff from the Anadenanthera peregrina tree—remains central to cosmology and identity despite social changes. Cuiva use of yopo serves as a means of resisting persecution and asserting a just reality, while Piaroa attitudes are paradoxical: yopo is both the cause of harm and a means of salvation, required by shamans to create the future yet seen by many laypeople as a relic of the past. Persecution, missionary activity, and shamanic ethics are key factors shaping how hallucinogen use evolves among these groups.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
June 28, 2025
Laura C Carvalho, Jorge Encantado, Hannes Kettner et al.
6 citations
A review of 103 naturalistic psychedelic studies found that most used cross-sectional surveys, ayahuasca was the most studied substance (66%), and ceremonial settings were the most common context (35.9%). Sample characteristics were widely reported but varied considerably, while specific contextual details like music were often missing. The authors call for systematic reporting standards to improve the value of real-world psychedelic research alongside clinical trials.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2013
Sean Leneghan
6 citations
An ethnographic study of ecstasy users in the Sydney area describes their experiences through a phenomenological framework. Users' reports are organized into nine thematic areas: initial reactions and peaking, the rush, plateau, coming down, love, peace and respect, social connections, unificatory experiences, and returning to baseline. The typical experiences confirm and extend interdisciplinary understandings of ecstasy, suggesting that a context-specific, phenomenologically attuned approach can contribute to research in Australia and internationally.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
March 12, 2025
Will Olteanu, Sam G Moreton
5 citations
Meaningful psychedelic experiences are associated with self-reported increases in moral expansiveness—the broadening of one's circle of moral concern. Changes in moral expansiveness were positively correlated with mystical experiences, ego dissolution, and feelings of being moved and admiration during the experience. Heightened moral expansiveness was also linked to longer-term shifts in the propensity to experience self-transcendent positive emotions such as admiration and awe. The findings suggest that acute subjective effects of psychedelics may play a role in expanding moral concern.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
November 23, 2024
Daniel Perkins, Jerome Sarris, Tessa Cowley-Court et al.
5 citations
People who consume ayahuasca in naturalistic settings—religious, traditional, or non-traditional—report better current mental health and greater psychological well-being, according to a large online survey of 7,576 participants from over 50 countries. More lifetime ayahuasca uses were linked to better mental health scores, and this association remained strong even after accounting for other factors and did not fade over time. Strong mystical experiences, self-insights, and community or social support were also tied to better mental health and well-being, whereas acute extreme fear during sessions and difficulty integrating the experience were linked to poorer outcomes. These patterns held for individuals both with and without a history of mental illness.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
July 3, 2024
B Romeo, E Kervadec, B Fauvel et al.
5 citations
Among 152 cannabis users who had a significant past psychedelic experience, an online retrospective survey found that after the experience there was a sustained reduction in cannabis use disorder scores, frequency of use, and daily intoxication duration. The reduction in cannabis use during the first month was linked to the intensity of the mystical experience. Participants also reported lasting improvement in psychological flexibility, which was correlated with mystical experience intensity. The findings suggest naturalistic psychedelic experiences may lead to decreased cannabis use, possibly through increased psychological flexibility and mystical experience intensity.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2016
Fiona Hutton, Bronwyn Kivell, Otis Boyle
5 citations
Salvia divinorum, an intense hallucinogen, was legal in New Zealand when an anonymous questionnaire was advertised to young adults in 2010-2011. Of 393 respondents, 167 had used salvia. Thematic analysis of open-ended answers identified three themes: salvia's effects, the importance of set and setting, and pleasure or not-pleasure from use. Recreational salvia use occurred within a broader drug landscape; participants were drug experienced and "drug wise." Use was intermittent, often described as a novel experience. The 2014 criminalization of salvia under the Psychoactive Substances Amendment Act may lead to a significant decline in use as experienced users seek novel drug experiences elsewhere.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
April 22, 2025
Nicolas G Glynos, Mallet R Reid, Jacob S Aday et al.
4 citations
People of Color have been underrepresented in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research, and some have suggested that systemic harms like the War on Drugs and discrimination in healthcare might reduce their willingness to participate. A large-scale survey of people using psychedelics in North America compared 3,547 White people, 448 People of Color, and 377 Multiracial people. A lower proportion of People of Color used psychedelics with a trained provider, but equal proportions had disclosed psychedelic use to primary care providers, were equally motivated to use psychedelics with a trained provider, used psychedelics for similar issues, and reported similar effectiveness. The findings suggest that lack of trust may not fully explain underrepresentation, and other barriers should be investigated.