Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy
May 5, 2026
Katherine G. W. Hill, Cianna J Piercey, Hollis C Karoly et al.
'Kava,' or 'kava kava,' (Piper methysticum) is a psychoactive plant indigenous to the Pacific Islands. Historical consumption is reported to provide anxiolytic and sedating effects. In regions where kava is native, it has been used in religious and cultural practices, as well as for medicinal purposes. The mechanisms by which kavalactones - the best studied psychoactive constituent of kava -...
Harm Reduction Journal
March 2, 2026
Cianna J Piercey, Joseph Cameron, Riley Ahern et al.
Kratom is a psychoactive botanical that is increasingly popular in the United States. While potential risks of kratom use have been identified, research on harm reduction strategies and contextual factors contributing to adverse reactions is limited. Given that kratom is federally unregulated at present, and a variety of kratom products are widely available on the commercial market, more data...
JAMA Psychiatry
November 5, 2025
Kent E. Hutchison, Judith Hooper, Hollis C Karoly
10 citations
Importance Psilocybin use has surged in the US following decriminalization efforts and promising clinical trial results. Mirroring early cannabis legalization, public access and enthusiasm are outpacing regulatory oversight and scientific understanding, posing potential risks to public health. Objective To review emerging evidence on the public health implications of unregulated psilocybin...
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
May 20, 2025
Mark A. Prince, Brandon Paez, Jessica L Morse et al.
High school youth have an elevated risk of substance use. Some substances (e.g., inhalants, MDMA) used by youth are overlooked or grouped in an "other" category. Compared to other racial/ethnic groups, American Indian (AI) youth may be at higher risk of using these substances. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and patterns of use of "other" substances among youth living on...
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
December 1, 2024
Cianna J Piercey, Bethany A. Gray, Angelina Sung et al.
5 citations
Approximately 8.5 million Americans over the age of 12 endorsed past year psychedelic use in 2022, with 1.4 million individuals initiating use during this time. Although emerging evidence indicates there may be beneficial aspects of psychedelic use, there is a need to understand how individuals might mitigate potential risks within nonclinical contexts, such as through the use of protective...
J Cannabis Res
July 11, 2024
Cianna J Piercey, Eleftherios Hetelekides, Hollis C Karoly
5 citations
Simultaneous cannabis and psychedelic use among festival and concert attendees in Colorado: characterizing enhancement and adverse reactions using mixed methods.
Addiction Biology
2022
Laurel P Gibson, Hollis C Karoly, Jarrod M. Ellingson et al.
Using a federally compatible, naturalistic at-home administration procedure, the present study examined the acute effects of three cannabis flower chemovars with different tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD) ratios, in order to test whether chemovars with a higher CBD content produce different effects. Participants were randomly assigned to ad libitum administration of one of three...