Mushroom Use by College Students
John Paul Thompson, M. Douglas Anglin, William A. Emboden, Dennis G. Fisher
Journal of Drug Education June 1, 1985 DOI: 10.2190/rhxn-nq0b-39cl-jml1 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAmong 1,507 college students surveyed, 17% reported using hallucinogenic drugs. Of those, over 85% had used psilocybin mushrooms, and more than half had used mushrooms but no other hallucinogens. The data suggest a high level of experimental use of psilocybin mushrooms compared to other hallucinogens. The authors recommend that survey research distinguish mushroom use from other hallucinogens.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,507 |
| Population | College students from California State University, Northridge, and the University of California, Los Angeles |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Mushroom Psychology |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key finding | Over 85% of hallucinogenic drug users had used psilocybin mushrooms, and over half had used only mushrooms, indicating high experimental use of mushrooms relative to other hallucinogens. |
Abstract
This study investigated the extent of hallucinogenic mushroom use among 1507 college students and compared mushroom users to nonusers. The subjects, who completed an anonymous questionnaire, were students from California State University, Northridge, and the University of California, Los Angeles. The major finding was that among the respondents who reported use of hallucinogenic drugs (17%), over 85 percent had used hallucinogenic (psilocybin) mushrooms and over half had used mushrooms but no other hallucinogens. The data suggest a high level of experimental use compared to other hallucinogens. Survey research into hallucinogenic mushroom use should be extended, and mushroom use should be distinguished from use of other hallucinogens.