Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): Prevalence, user characteristics and abuse liability in a large global sample

Based on a large anonymous online survey of 22,289 people, lifetime use of the potent hallucinogen DMT was 8.9% and past-year use was 5.0%. Among 472 respondents who had recently tried DMT for the first time, the drug produced a strong, intense, short-lived psychedelic high with relatively few negative effects or comedown compared to psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine. DMT had a larger proportion of new users (24%) than the other substances, suggesting its popularity may increase. The authors conclude that DMT has a very desirable effect profile indicating high abuse liability, possibly offset by a low urge to use more.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This paper presents original research on prevalence, user characteristics and effect profile of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a potent hallucinogenic which acts primarily through the serotonergic system. Data were obtained from the Global Drug Survey (an anonymous online survey of people, many of whom have used drugs) conducted between November and December 2012 with 22,289 responses. Lifetime prevalence of DMT use was 8.9% ( n=1980) and past year prevalence use was 5.0% ( n=1123). We explored the effect profile of DMT in 472 participants who identified DMT as the last new drug they had tried for the first time and compared it with ratings provided by other respondents on psilocybin (magic mushrooms), LSD and ketamine. DMT was most often smoked and offered a strong, intense, short-lived psychedelic high with relatively few negative effects or “come down”. It had a larger proportion of new users compared with the other substances (24%), suggesting its popularity may increase. Overall, DMT seems to have a very desirable effect profile indicating a high abuse liability that maybe offset by a low urge to use more.