Strong Bipartisan Support for Controlled Psilocybin Use as Treatment or Enhancement in a Representative Sample of US Americans: Need for Caution in Public Policy Persists
Julian D. Sandbrink, Kyle Johnson, Maureen Gill, David B. Yaden, Julian Savulescu, Ivar R. Hannikainen, Brian D. Earp
AJOB Neuroscience February 5, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2024.2303154 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 795 |
| Population | Nationally representative sample of US Americans |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Governance Enhancement Mental health Treatment Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Psychiatric care Public policy legislation Regulations Counseling |
| Citations | 13 |
| Key findings | Participants rated psilocybin use in a licensed setting as morally positive for both treatment and well-being enhancement, with strong bipartisan support. |
Abstract
The psychedelic psilocybin has shown promise both as treatment for psychiatric conditions and as a means of improving well-being in healthy individuals. In some jurisdictions (e.g., Oregon, USA), psilocybin use for both purposes is or will soon be allowed and yet, public attitudes toward this shift are understudied. We asked a nationally representative sample of 795 US Americans to evaluate the moral status of psilocybin use in an appropriately licensed setting for either treatment of a psychiatric condition or well-being enhancement. Showing strong bipartisan support, participants rated the individual's decision as morally positive in both contexts. These results can inform effective policy-making decisions around supervised psilocybin use, given robust public attitudes as elicited in the context of an innovative regulatory model. We did not explore attitudes to psilocybin use in unsupervised or non-licensed community or social settings.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey study of challenging experiences after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms: Acute and enduring positive and negative consequences Individuals who had consumed psilocybin mushrooms and experienced a psychologically... | 2016 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 1,993 |
| The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms Internet survey respondents reporting challenging experiences with psilocybin | 2016 | Questionnaire development and validation | |
| Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study Adult population in the United States | 2013 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 130,152 |
| Cessation and reduction in alcohol consumption and misuse after psychedelic use Individuals with prior alcohol use disorder who reported cessation or reduction in... | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 343 |
| Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Drug-using university students | 2006 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 149 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- Wolves Among Sheep: Sexual Violations in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. The American Journal of Bioethics January 13, 2025
- Psychedelic-related deaths in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (1997-2022). Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry January 10, 2025
- Ethical issues with psychedelic-assisted treatments in psychiatry: A systematic scoping review Psychological Medicine 2025
- Review of Psilocybin Use for Depression among Cancer Patients after Approval in Oregon Cancers April 27, 2024
- Psychedelics beyond medicine: Treatment, enhancement, hype, consent, and the limits of medicalization Philosophical Psychology September 8, 2025
and 8 more in the library
Cites 22
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. New England Journal of Medicine November 3, 2022
and 17 more in the library