Preferences and Support for Psychedelic Policies and Practices Among Those Using Psychedelics.

In a survey of 1,221 people who use psychedelics outside clinical settings, three-quarters supported decriminalization and legalization. Participants strongly favored allowing individuals to legally grow and possess psychedelic plants and fungi for personal use. Support was higher for natural over synthetic substances, for self-production and consumption over gifting, and for gifting over sales. Administration with therapeutic support was preferred over use without it. Participants worried about pharmaceutical-style policies, including patents on both natural and synthetic psychedelics. Most respondents lived in Michigan, but geographical differences were small. People who identified as psychedelic guides, educators, or therapists differed slightly but extensively from others. The authors suggest policymakers consider these preferences to ensure safe and equitable access and appropriate medical support.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Legal, scientific, and social landscapes for psychedelics are changing rapidly. Differences of opinion exist among key stakeholders regarding regulatory control, models of provisioning psychedelic therapy, and medicalization, decriminalization, and/or legalization policies. We assessed the policy preferences of people using psychedelics naturalistically (N = 1221) to understand how they aligned and differed with institutional entities and existing psychedelic policies. Three quarters of participants would support decriminalization and legalization. On average, participants strongly supported individuals being legally able to grow and possess psychedelic plants and/or fungi for personal consumption. Trends included more support for natural over synthetic substances, self-production and consumption over gifting, gifting over sales, and administration of psychedelics with therapeutic support than without therapeutic support. Participants were concerned about pharmaceutical-like policy models, including patents of natural and synthetic psychedelic compounds. Participants were mostly from the State of Michigan, though geographical differences were minor. Those who identified as a psychedelic guide, educator, or therapist had small yet extensive differences from those who did not. As psychedelic liberalization continues to advance, it is critical for policymakers to consider these preferences to ensure laws provide safe and equitable access to these substances and appropriate medical support for their use.