Young Adults Increase Their Use of Hallucinogenic Controlled Substances

According to a recent NIH panel study, 8% of young adults in the United States reported using a hallucinogenic drug in the past year. In 2021, people aged 19–30 reported increased usage of LSD, mescaline, peyote, “shrooms” or psilocybin, and PCP. 

The Monitoring the Future survey is a nationally representative sample used by the NIH that has tracked US drug use since 1975. Certain types of drug use have only recently been explored using the survey, including new methods of intake like vaping. 

Data from the most recent iteration of the survey found that from 2011 to 2021 use of hallucinogenic drugs increased from 5% in young adults, reaching the highest recorded rate since 1988, when hallucinogens were first included in the study. In addition to illegal hallucinogens, marijuana use reached the highest ever recorded level of 43% in 2021, jumping from 34% in 2016.  

Nicotine vaping also rose from 6% in 2017 to 16% in 2021, while cigarette smoking decreased. And while other drug activity increased, daily drinking steadily decreased over the past decade. 

“As the drug landscape shifts over time, this data provides a window into the substances and patterns of use favored by young adults. We need to know more about how young adults are using drugs like marijuana and hallucinogens, and the health effects that result from consuming different potencies and forms of these substances,” said National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow, MD. 

Research into controlled substances remains hampered by strict regulation despite the increased use of these substances. For researchers studying controlled substances, it can take years to obtain funding, and regulations also require expensive modifications to laboratory environments.  

Regardless of the limited understanding of hallucinogenic controlled substances, clinical trials have indicated that certain drugs could benefit patients seeking relief from mental health conditions. Some psychiatrists have found substances, including ecstasy and psilocybin, to be highly effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. And hallucinogens are also being proposed to treat anxiety where other treatments have failed.  

The study of hallucinogens as treatments for mental illness is still in its early stages; however, in the coming years, academic clinical trials will have developed a foundation of understanding that could lead to the easing of government regulations. Beyond regulatory issues, it is challenging to conduct blind placebo-controlled studies with hallucinogens because of their apparent physical effects. Some trials also struggle to recruit participants willing to experiment with mind-altering substances.