Naturally derived psilocybin is widely used, yet its therapeutic potential, pharmacological distinctiveness and regulatory feasibility remain understudied. This review evaluates the potential of naturally derived psilocybin using a six-criterion framework to evaluate: (1) therapeutic benefit, (2) safety and tolerability, (3) pharmacological uniqueness vs. sy...
Interest has grown in the effects of psilocybin on mental health, but little is known about its naturalistic use alongside alcohol and its relationship to depression and/or anxiety symptoms. Data from the nationally-representative 2024 National Survey Investigating Hallucinogenic Trends of participants who did ( n = 1234) or did not ( n = 1607) report past-y...
= 26.38, ~50% past-month cannabis use by design) completed an online survey. Multivariable regression assessed sociodemographics, mental health, and adverse childhood events (ACEs) in relation to: (1) past-year psychedelic use; and (2) among those reporting lifetime use: (a) lifetime microdosing and (b) use motives. Lifetime and past-year psychedelic use wer...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Dextromethorphan (DXM), widely used as an over-the-counter antitussive in the United States, exhibits psychoactive effects at supratherapeutic levels that overlap with those of classic and dissociative psychedelics. Reported psychoactive effects have generated interest in DXM as a potential therapeutic agent for treatment-resistant ...
The purpose of this study is to understand whether psilocybin therapy is safe and well tolerated in improving chronic pain and increasing motivation to quit smoking for people who have chronic pain and smoke cigarettes. Psilocybin is a psychedelic drug and the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms." Psilocybin is currently being studied in clinical trials bu...
BACKGROUND: We know little about the extent psychedelic substances are consumed therapeutically and/or discussed with medical professionals despite renewed global interest in these substances. METHODS: We examined self-reported responses from the 2023 International Cannabis Policy Study (ICPS) in repeated cross-sectional surveys in Canada, the United States,...
Chronic pain is common, costly, and for many, remains inadequately treated by existing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches. In parallel with growing dissatisfaction with conventional therapies, classic serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ayahuasca, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and mescaline, administer...
Recent literature suggests potential associations between hallucinogen use and valvular heart disease (VHD) due to prolonged activation of serotonin 5-HT2B receptors, which may lead to valvular fibrosis - a condition also linked to drugs including fenfluramine and pergolide. Despite these concerns, epidemiological studies exploring this association are lacki...
Background Following Australia’s landmark 2023 decision to approve psilocybin and MDMA for clinical use, psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is beginning to emerge within regulated mental health settings. This study investigates psychologists’ views on the relevance of psychedelic therapists’ lived-living experience (LLE) with psychedelics. While discussion a...
In April 2024, FSQ Forensic Chemists attended Queensland’s largest mushroom growing operation. Seized items included: 219 50 L plastic tubs of mushrooms in growth medium, bags of dried mushroom material, sterilised grain bags and spores in liquid. In consultation with QPS, six exhibits were selected for illicit drug analysis. Fresh mushrooms were harvested a...
Expanding regulation and increased use of psychedelic substances requires surveillance of behaviors and health outcomes in the United States. Widely comprehendible terminology is important for surveys. The objective of this study was to determine what psychedelic terminology is preferred among adults who used a psychedelic in the past 12 months. A cross-sect...
Psychedelic compounds such as psilocybin, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), N,Ndimethyltryptamine (DMT), and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) are emerging as novel therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and addiction. Acting primarily through serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonism, they ac...
Psilocybin is an emerging investigational compound with therapeutic potential in neuropsychiatric disorders, creating a need for flexible and scalable dosage forms suitable for early clinical development. This study aimed to develop and evaluate psilocybin-loaded oral thin film (OTF) formulations as a dose-proportional platform for early-phase clinical use. ...
Psychedelic and psychedelic-adjacent substances, including 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and classic serotonergic hallucinogens, are undergoing renewed therapeutic investigation and remain in non-medical use. Inadvertent exposure during early, unrecognized pregnancy is clinically plausible, yet pregnancy-specific safety evidence is limited. To map...
Microdosing is a novel approach to the consumption of classic psychedelic substances, such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) and psilocybin that emerged in recent years. Unlike traditional illicit substance use, which often seeks euphoric experiences, microdosing deliberately avoids such effects in pursuit of self-enhancement. This practice has grown in po...
The resurgence in research with classic psychedelics (e.g. LSD, psilocybin) underscores their potential for improved well-being; however, the interpersonal context and mechanisms of psychedelic impacts remain unknown. In a sample of 798 participants (81 couples), this survey study tested whether use of a psychedelic with a romantic partner (v. not together) ...
