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Psychedelics and mental health: a population study

Krebs TS, Johansen PØ. PLoS ONE 2013;8(8):e63972

This analysis used a large, nationally representative US survey of more than 130,000 adults to test whether people who have ever used psychedelics have more mental health problems. About one in seven reported ever using LSD, psilocybin, mescaline or peyote. After adjusting for factors such as other drug use, risk-taking and trauma, the authors found no link between psychedelic use and psychological distress, mental health treatment, or symptoms of eight psychiatric disorders including psychosis. In some cases users had lower rates of problems. Because the data are a single snapshot of self-reports, the study cannot show that psychedelics protect mental health, and it may miss rare serious reactions. Its main finding is the absence of a population-level link to harm.