Hallucinogen use among young adults ages 19–30 in the United States: Changes from 2018 to 2021

From 2018 to 2021, past-year use of non-LSD hallucinogens (such as psilocybin) among US young adults aged 19–30 doubled from 3.4% to 6.6%, while LSD use remained stable around 4%. Males were nearly twice as likely as females to use non-LSD hallucinogens, and use was lower among Black participants and those without a college-educated parent. The findings suggest growing use of these substances in a population that may be vulnerable to their effects.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Background and aims Given the shifting landscape of hallucinogen use, particularly with increased therapeutic use, understanding current changes in use is a necessary part of examining the potential risk hallucinogens pose to vulnerable populations, such as young adults. This study aimed to measure hallucinogen use among young adults aged 19–30 years from 2018 to 2021. Design, setting and participants This was a longitudinal cohort study among young adults aged 19–30 years from the US general population, interviewed between 2018 and 2021. Participants comprised 11 304 unique respondents, with an average number of follow‐ups of 1.46 (standard deviation = 0.50). Of the observed data points, 51.9% were among females. Measurements We examined past 12‐month self‐reported use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), as well as hallucinogens besides LSD (e.g. psilocybin), monitoring any use as well as frequency, overall and by sex. Findings From 2018 to 2021, past 12‐month use of LSD among young adults in the US remained relatively unchanged, from 3.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.1–4.3] in 2018 to 4.2% in 2021 (95% CI = 3.4–5.0). Non‐LSD hallucinogen [e.g. ‘shrooms’, psilocybin or PCP (phenylcyclohexyl piperidine)] use, however, increased in prevalence from 3.4% (95% CI = 2.8–4.1) to 6.6% from 2018 to 2021 (95% CI = 5.5–7.6). Across years, the odds of non‐LSD use were higher for males [odds ratio (OR) = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.52–2.26] and lower for black than white participants (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.19–0.47) and those without a college‐educated parent (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.64–0.99). Demographic disparities were similar for LSD use. Conclusion Prevalence of past‐year use non‐lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) hallucinogen was twice as high in 2021 as in 2018 among US young adults. Correlates of non‐LSD hallucinogen use included being male, white and from higher socio‐economic status backgrounds.