SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The use of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in “magic mushrooms,” is rising in the United States alongside de‑criminalization efforts in several states and local jurisdictions, as well as heightened interest by the general public. Researchers have also taken an interest in the drug for its potential to treat depression. Now, a study by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and New York University Grossman School of Medicine has found that around 2.8% of U.S. residents over the age of 12 — about 8 million people — used psilocybin in the past year.
The team analyzed data from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). This was the first year the large‑scale, nationally representative survey asked psilocybin‑specific questions, enabling the researchers to gain a more accurate picture of past‑year use among the 58,633 respondents. Previous national surveys have grouped psilocybin with other hallucinogens and have focused on lifetime use rather than its use during the past 12 months.
“Prior surveys only captured lifetime use, which tells us little about current use patterns; someone who tried psilocybin once in college a decade ago and someone using it regularly today look identical in that data. Past-year gives us a much more clinically relevant picture of who is using psilocybin right now and what factors are associated with their use,” said first author Kevin Yang, MD, resident physician in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
The research found:
- 18–25 year-olds had 1.4x the odds of psilocybin use compared to those ages 35–49, while those over 50 had about one-third lower odds.
- Males had 1.7x the odds compared to females and white respondents had 2.5x the odds of Black respondents and 1.4x the odds of Hispanic respondents.
- The use of cannabis and hallucinogens like LSD, MDMA and ketamine was strongly associated with past-year psilocybin use.
- Alcohol use disorder and prescription stimulant misuse were also correlated with psilocybin use.
- Individuals with a major depressive episode in the past year had higher odds of psilocybin use.
The findings have implications for clinical practice. Over the past decade, clinical trials have revealed that psilocybin has promising therapeutic effects for depression and treatment‑resistant depression, but the safety profile of unsupervised, naturalistic use remains unclear. Unlike controlled clinical settings where participants are carefully screened, doses are standardized, and psychological support is provided, naturalistic use lacks these safeguards.
“When psilocybin is used outside of a clinical setting, the risks look very different. We’ve seen reports of anxiety, paranoia and prolonged psychological distress, and there are also potential interactions with antidepressants that clinicians need to look out for,” said Yang.
He says the findings highlight the need for clinicians to be aware of psilocybin use among their patients, particularly those with depression.
“With 8 million Americans using psilocybin in the past year, this is something that psychiatrists and other clinicians should be asking about, including why patients are using it and what benefits they perceive, as well as being prepared to counsel them on harm reduction and potential risks,” said Yang.
Looking forward, Yang says longitudinal studies that track the mental health of people over time as they use psilocybin are needed, as well as increased public health surveillance as de‑criminalization and potential FDA approval of the substance progress.
Additional co-authors on the study include: Avery Eun, UC San Diego School of Medicine; Joseph J. Palamar, NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
