Securities.io is committed to rigorous editorial standards. We may receive compensation when you click on links to products we review. Please view our affiliate disclosure. Trading involves risk which may result in the loss of capital. The popularity of psilocybin is fast-rising, with an estimated 8 million American adults using it in 2023.
The percentage of US adults who have used psilocybin at least once in their lifetime, meanwhile, as reported by the annual nationally representative survey on drug use and health conducted between 2015 and 2018, was 9.68%. This figure has since increased to 12%, according to a more recent survey.
This story is similar in the UK, where the Office for National Statistics has stated psilocybin to be the only illegal drug growing in popularity in 2024. With a 37.5% increase, it reached 1.1%, which represents about 300,000 16- to 59-year-olds.
In the past few years, psychedelics have actually entered the mainstream in a big way. From usage to scientific research, there’s a growing interest in the drug.
According to a RAND report , psilocybin mushrooms are actually the most often used psychedelic substance in the US. The popularity of this psychedelic drug is outpacing that of MDMA, which is known as ecstasy.
Yet another report has suggested that psilocybin-containing mushrooms are currently the most popular choice among people, with many opting to microdose, which means consuming only a fraction of the usual dose.
By tracking the internet search history on microdosing as a proxy for public interest, the study found a 1,250% increase since 2015. Meanwhile, searches for psilocybin began to exceed those for LSD in 2019.
Now, the reasons behind the booming psilocybin market, as per the survey respondents, were social enjoyment, which was followed by mental health, and then personal development and existential exploration.
So, what is psilocybin? It is a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid with hallucinogenic effects found in ‘magic mushrooms.’ Commonly known as mushrooms or shrooms, psilocybin is the key psychedelic compound in these fungi.Psilocybin can be obtained from both fresh and dried mushrooms and even created in a lab. Synthetic psilocybin looks like a white crystalline powder.When one takes […]
The Science of Psilocybin: Transforming Mental Health for Addiction Patients
