College students are reluctant to agree that hallucinogenic drugs can be therapeutic for conditions like anxiety, PTSD, and addiction, but a majority believe further research into their medicinal benefits is warranted. A survey of 124 students at two U.S. colleges—a small private college in the mid-Atlantic and a medium-sized public university in the Midwest—found similar responses across campuses. Participants were asked about seven afflictions and generally did not endorse hallucinogens as therapeutic, yet supported continued investigation into their potential medical uses.
A survey of 882 randomly selected undergraduates at Skidmore College in upstate New York found that 29.5% of the 409 respondents had used psilocybin mushrooms, with a mean of 3.4 lifetime uses. Top reasons for first use were curiosity, desire for a mystical experience, and introspection. Non-users were more likely than users to perceive mushrooms as addictive and having abuse potential. Users did not believe psilocybin negatively affects academics, mental health, or physical health, whereas non-users did. Both groups reported high lifetime use of alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco, but psilocybin users were significantly more likely to also use cocaine, ecstasy, opiates, non-prescribed prescription drugs, and LSD.