Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2011
Robin Rodd, Arelis Sumabila
7 citations
Among the Cuiva and Piaroa peoples of the Orinoco region, yopo—a hallucinogenic snuff from the Anadenanthera peregrina tree—remains central to cosmology and identity despite social changes. Cuiva use of yopo serves as a means of resisting persecution and asserting a just reality, while Piaroa attitudes are paradoxical: yopo is both the cause of harm and a means of salvation, required by shamans to create the future yet seen by many laypeople as a relic of the past. Persecution, missionary activity, and shamanic ethics are key factors shaping how hallucinogen use evolves among these groups.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 1, 1993
Thomas J. Riedlinger
7 citations
A review of unpublished letters from the Tina and Gordon Wasson Ethnomycological Collection challenges the identification of Vedic soma as the psychoactive mushroom Amanita muscaria. In these letters, Wasson considered and rejected other psychoactive plants as candidates, including the mint Lagochilus inebrians, morning glory seeds, ergot, and the psilocybin mushroom Stropharia cubensis. The letters show that Wasson remained open to refinements of his theory.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 1981
Francesco B. Di Leo
7 citations
A case report describes the use of psychedelic drugs as an adjunct to psychotherapy for a single patient. The treatment involved administering a psychedelic substance during therapy sessions to facilitate emotional insight and psychological healing. The report details the patient's background, the therapeutic process, and the outcomes observed. The authors suggest that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may offer benefits for certain individuals, particularly those who have not responded well to conventional treatments. The case illustrates the potential for these drugs to enhance the therapeutic experience and promote lasting psychological change, though the findings are limited to this single case and cannot be generalized without further research.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 28, 2025
Laura C. Carvalho, Jorge Encantado, Hannes Kettner et al.
6 citations
A review of 103 naturalistic psychedelic studies found that most used cross-sectional surveys, ayahuasca was the most studied substance (66%), and ceremonial settings were the most common context (35.9%). Sample characteristics were widely reported but varied considerably, while specific contextual details like music were often missing. The authors call for systematic reporting standards to improve the value of real-world psychedelic research alongside clinical trials.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
November 13, 2024
Reza Ghaffarzadegan, Mokhtar Karimi, Behnaz Hedayatjoo et al.
6 citations
Chronic unpredictable mild stress for four weeks impaired spatial learning and memory and reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus of rats. Injecting a Psilocybe cubensis extract (20 mg/kg) 24 or 48 hours before training restored spatial learning, and injection 48 hours before training also restored spatial memory. The extract given 24 or 48 hours before training increased hippocampal BDNF in stressed rats. However, when given at other times (5 minutes before training, 5 minutes after training, or 5 minutes before the probe test), the extract impaired spatial learning and memory and decreased BDNF in non-stressed control rats. The timing of administration appears critical for the extract's effects on memory and BDNF.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
February 10, 2024
Alyssa F. Harlow, Peter S. Hendricks, Adam M. Leventhal et al.
6 citations
Among 2,396 young adults aged 18-22 in Southern California surveyed in 2018-2019, 12% had heard of microdosing psychedelics and 3% had ever tried it. Of those aware of microdosing, 79% correctly defined it as taking a much lower than standard dose, but 15% mistakenly thought it meant a standard dose. Psilocybin was the most commonly microdosed drug (70%), followed by LSD (57%). About 18% of those who microdosed reported using doses far higher than a typical microdose. Factors associated with having ever microdosed included white race, male/masculine gender identity, bisexual identity, past 6-month other drug use, greater ADHD symptoms, mindfulness, and sensation-seeking. The findings suggest microdosing merits attention to prevent misperceptions and potential harms while exploring therapeutic uses.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 15, 2024
Oliver Rumle Hovmand, Mathias Ebbesen Jensen, Tobias Søgaard Juul et al.
6 citations
A Danish translation of the Revised Mystical Experiences Questionnaire (MEQ30) is a valid and reliable tool for assessing mystical-type experiences in Danish-speaking individuals. The questionnaire showed excellent internal reliability across three samples: healthy volunteers receiving psilocybin in a lab (N = 47), recreational users reporting on their most recent psilocybin experience (N = 834), and users reporting on their most memorable psychedelic experience (N = 500). A four-factor structure provided the best, fair fit to the data. MEQ30 total scores correlated with dose and spiritual or religious intention, but not with setting.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
November 3, 2023
Marija Franka Žuljević, Antonija Mijatović, Stjepan Ljudevit Marušić et al.
6 citations
Analysis of 7317 online psychedelic experience reports, mostly about psilocybin, shows that the use of mystical language increases with the self-reported intensity of the experience. At the same time, negative sentiment rises and positive sentiment falls as intensity increases. These results suggest that mystical experiences may coexist with challenging elements during a psychedelic session, a possibility that warrants further qualitative investigation. A new mystical language dictionary is provided for future research.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 31, 2023
Haley Maria Dourron, Heith Copes, Agasthya Vedre-Kyanam et al.
6 citations
The subjective experiences of diphenhydramine (DPH) misuse, based on 32 first-hand YouTube accounts analyzed with thematic analysis, are predominantly unpleasant, featuring alterations in most sensory modalities, confusion, and dysphoria. Positive effects were rare and often overshadowed by negative aspects. Video makers frequently warned against misuse and occasionally reported adverse post-acute effects. Despite the prevalence of adverse experiences, patterns of repeated misuse were sometimes discussed. Motives for misuse included accessibility, affordability, and legality. The findings suggest DPH misuse can produce substantial, often distressing psychoactive effects that share phenomenological overlap with experiences produced by psychosis.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 31, 2023
Alexsandra Kovacevich, Jeremy Weleff, Benjamin Claytor et al.
6 citations
Three individuals with smell loss—one from a respiratory infection, one from childhood, and one from COVID-19—reported improved olfactory function after using psychedelics: 6 g of psilocybin mushrooms, 100 µg of LSD, or microdosing 0.1 g of psilocybin mushrooms three times. These are the first such cases recorded in academic literature. Possible mechanisms include serotonergic effects, increased neuroplasticity, and anti-inflammatory actions. The authors suggest that the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics for olfactory impairment warrant further investigation.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 17, 2021
Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno, Vanessa Manchim Favaro, Luís Fernando Tófoli et al.
6 citations
A reproducible five-day protocol for freeze-drying ayahuasca produces a stable extract with alkaloid concentrations similar to the original liquid. From two liters of ayahuasca, approximately 295 grams of freeze-dried extract were obtained, with a dry matter content of 14.75%. The freeze-dried extract retained its texture quality after three years of storage in a vacuum desiccator at about 6°C. The protocol includes alkaloid quantification by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for both liquid and freeze-dried forms. Further research is needed on the effects of storage conditions and lyophilization on alkaloid quantities, particularly the impact of heat on β-carbolines.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 6, 2019
Ansgar Rougemont-Bücking, Henrik Jungaberle, Milan Scheidegger et al.
6 citations
Among 4,475 young adult men in Switzerland, those who used psychedelics in the past year showed no significant difference in mental health (depressive symptoms, overall mental health, perceived stress, life satisfaction) compared to those who used no drugs. In contrast, users of MDMA, psychostimulants, and cannabis had poorer mental health. These effects were influenced by stressful life events and past family functioning. The findings suggest that some men may use substances to cope with life adversity, and the lack of a negative mental health association with psychedelics warrants further research in both men and women.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2013
Sean Leneghan
6 citations
An ethnographic study of ecstasy users in the Sydney area describes their experiences through a phenomenological framework. Users' reports are organized into nine thematic areas: initial reactions and peaking, the rush, plateau, coming down, love, peace and respect, social connections, unificatory experiences, and returning to baseline. The typical experiences confirm and extend interdisciplinary understandings of ecstasy, suggesting that a context-specific, phenomenologically attuned approach can contribute to research in Australia and internationally.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 12, 2025
Will Olteanu, Sam G. Moreton
5 citations
Meaningful psychedelic experiences are associated with self-reported increases in moral expansiveness—the broadening of one's circle of moral concern. Changes in moral expansiveness were positively correlated with mystical experiences, ego dissolution, and feelings of being moved and admiration during the experience. Heightened moral expansiveness was also linked to longer-term shifts in the propensity to experience self-transcendent positive emotions such as admiration and awe. The findings suggest that acute subjective effects of psychedelics may play a role in expanding moral concern.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 2, 2025
Petri Kajonius, David Sjöström, Emma Claesdotter-Knutsson
5 citations
A majority of Swedish psychedelic users rank their experience among the most meaningful events of their lives: 58% placed it among the top 5 most meaningful, and 85% among the top 10. Most participants (94%) reported positive life improvements, and factors like a personal growth motive and supportive social networks were linked to better well-being. The findings align with previous international research, though the study's self-selected sample, self-reported measures, and cross-sectional design limit generalizability.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
November 23, 2024
Daniel Perkins, Jerome Sarris, Tessa Cowley-Court et al.
5 citations
People who consume ayahuasca in naturalistic settings—religious, traditional, or non-traditional—report better current mental health and greater psychological well-being, according to a large online survey of 7,576 participants from over 50 countries. More lifetime ayahuasca uses were linked to better mental health scores, and this association remained strong even after accounting for other factors and did not fade over time. Strong mystical experiences, self-insights, and community or social support were also tied to better mental health and well-being, whereas acute extreme fear during sessions and difficulty integrating the experience were linked to poorer outcomes. These patterns held for individuals both with and without a history of mental illness.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
July 3, 2024
B Romeo, E Kervadec, B Fauvel et al.
5 citations
Among 152 cannabis users who had a significant past psychedelic experience, an online retrospective survey found that after the experience there was a sustained reduction in cannabis use disorder scores, frequency of use, and daily intoxication duration. The reduction in cannabis use during the first month was linked to the intensity of the mystical experience. Participants also reported lasting improvement in psychological flexibility, which was correlated with mystical experience intensity. The findings suggest naturalistic psychedelic experiences may lead to decreased cannabis use, possibly through increased psychological flexibility and mystical experience intensity.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2016
Fiona Hutton, Bronwyn M Kivell, Otis Boyle
5 citations
Salvia divinorum, an intense hallucinogen, was legal in New Zealand when an anonymous questionnaire was advertised to young adults in 2010-2011. Of 393 respondents, 167 had used salvia. Thematic analysis of open-ended answers identified three themes: salvia's effects, the importance of set and setting, and pleasure or not-pleasure from use. Recreational salvia use occurred within a broader drug landscape; participants were drug experienced and "drug wise." Use was intermittent, often described as a novel experience. The 2014 criminalization of salvia under the Psychoactive Substances Amendment Act may lead to a significant decline in use as experienced users seek novel drug experiences elsewhere.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Marlene Dobkin De Rios, Charles S. Grob
5 citations
In a November 2004 telephone interview, Jeffrey Bronfman, representative mestre for the União do Vegetal Church in the United States, discusses the church's legal battle after U.S. authorities seized a large quantity of ayahuasca tea intended for sacramental use. The case, which the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear, pits the church's claim to religious freedom against federal drug laws that classify ayahuasca as a scheduled substance. Bronfman describes the church's efforts to seek remediation through the courts on this freedom of religion issue.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
November 5, 2025
B Brett, Christine Bynum
4 citations
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious chronic condition with limited effective treatments. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AT) has shown promise in earlier trials, but the FDA recently voted against recommending it due to risk-benefit concerns. This systematic review of seven randomized controlled trials involving 280 adults with PTSD (160 received MDMA, 120 received placebo) found that five of six studies (83.3%) reported significantly greater PTSD symptom reduction with MDMA-AT compared to placebo. Across studies, 41.7% to 85.7% of MDMA recipients no longer met PTSD criteria post-treatment versus 25.0% to 33.3% in placebo groups. The treatment was well-tolerated. The findings support MDMA-AT as a potential treatment, but additional research with ethical oversight should inform FDA approval.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 23, 2025
Annika Wirsching, Erwin Krediet, Martijn H B Koolen et al.
4 citations
Dutch mental health professionals hold generally positive attitudes toward psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) for conditions like PTSD and major depression, according to a survey of 198 clinicians. Positive attitudes were associated with clinicians' own prior use of MDMA or psilocybin. Respondents considered psychiatrists and licensed psychologists the most suitable professionals to administer PAP, expressed concerns about maintaining therapeutic connection during patients' altered states, and preferred that PAP be delivered in specialized hospital-based facilities. The findings point to implementation needs, including targeted training and clear clinical guidelines.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 22, 2025
Nicolas G. Glynos, Mallet R Reid, Jacob S. Aday et al.
4 citations
People of Color have been underrepresented in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research, and some have suggested that systemic harms like the War on Drugs and discrimination in healthcare might reduce their willingness to participate. A large-scale survey of people using psychedelics in North America compared 3,547 White people, 448 People of Color, and 377 Multiracial people. A lower proportion of People of Color used psychedelics with a trained provider, but equal proportions had disclosed psychedelic use to primary care providers, were equally motivated to use psychedelics with a trained provider, used psychedelics for similar issues, and reported similar effectiveness. The findings suggest that lack of trust may not fully explain underrepresentation, and other barriers should be investigated.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 8, 2025
Valerio Ricci, Domenico de Berardis, Sheikh Shoib et al.
4 citations
Frequent recreational ketamine use among young adults is linked to more psychotic-like experiences, such as unusual thoughts and perceptions. In ten participants aged 18–24 who used ketamine multiple times weekly, higher use frequency correlated with more such experiences, while other drugs like THC, MDMA, and alcohol did not significantly contribute. The findings suggest ketamine's action on NMDA receptors may produce symptoms resembling schizophrenia. The small sample and reliance on self-report limit the conclusions, and more research is needed to confirm causality and long-term effects.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 12, 2024
Katinka Hooyer, Rachel Yehuda, Alan K. Davis et al.
4 citations
About half of U.S. military veterans surveyed reported using psychedelics, most often for healing or treatment (70%) and spiritual purposes (48%). The vast majority (85%) said they benefited from use. Veterans who used psychedelics indicated they would be more likely to use VA services, and they expressed greater interest in psychedelic therapy compared to non-users. However, some adverse outcomes were reported, suggesting that without proper preparation and support, psychedelics may carry risks. The findings point to a potential role for psychedelic-assisted approaches in veteran mental health care.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2024
Kelan Thomas, Robert L. Jesse, Nicky J. Mehtani et al.
4 citations
Policymakers are increasingly using clinical trial data to justify deprioritizing, decriminalizing, or legalizing psychedelic substances, but personal possession limits written into law often lack scientific grounding. This commentary argues that allowable amounts should be based on moderate-high doses shown safe and effective in clinical trials, common naturalistic use, and dose-equivalence studies. The authors provide a table of evidence-informed moderate-high doses for seven psychedelics to guide consistent and equitable policy limits, aiming to replace arbitrary thresholds with scientifically justified ones.