The Rising Use of LSD among Business Managers.
Substance Use & Misuse 2024 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2267105 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Cross-sectional Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 168,920 |
| Population | Full-time employed adults in the United States |
| Duration | 2006-2014 |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Business managers Trends Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Employment shifts Workforce dynamics Business leadership Corporate culture Microdosing substance use Drug |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Past-year LSD use increased at a greater rate among business managers than non-managers from 2006 to 2014, and this trend was not explained by changes in perceived risk or general substance use. |
Abstract
Although studies have demonstrated that the use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is on the rise in the United States, it remains unclear how this trend looks across the hierarchical ladder of the American workforce. This is relevant given that LSD is increasingly being touted as a means of boosting creativity and performance, with mounting anecdotal evidence that business managers in particular are turning to it for inspiration and insight. Using pooled cross-sectional data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2006-2014) on 168,920 adults in the United States employed full-time (weighted = 117,270,940), this study investigates how temporal trends in past year LSD use differ among business managers and non-managers. The results suggest that the prevalence of past year LSD use increased over time at a greater rate among business managers than non-managers and that this difference cannot be accounted for by changes in business managers' perceived risk of LSD use or general substance use relative to non-managers. The study's findings indicate that temporal trends in past year LSD use depend on employees' hierarchical rank in their organization and suggest that business managers, regardless of gender, are becomingly increasingly interested in the potential competitive advantages that LSD may offer.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increased Global Functional Connectivity Correlates with LSD-Induced Ego Dissolution. Human participants | 2016 | Observational cohort | |
| Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin Humans | 2017 | Observational study | |
| Classic psychedelic use is associated with reduced psychological distress and suicidality in the United States adult population. USA adult respondents from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008-2012) | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 190,000 |
| Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 135,095 |
| Whole-Brain Multimodal Neuroimaging Model Using Serotonin Receptor Maps Explains Non-linear Functional Effects of LSD. Healthy human participants | 2018 | Observational study with computational modeling |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- A Scoping Review of Research in Naturalistic Studies with Psychedelics. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 28, 2025
- Pattern of psychedelic substance use: a comparison between populations in Spain and South America using the Psychedelic Use Scale (PUS) Current Psychology November 21, 2024
- Interactions between fentanyl and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine: Ventilatory effects in nonhuman primates. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics October 1, 2025
- Psychedelic Therapies as Resistance to Neoliberalism: A Brazilian Schizoanalytical Perspective Future Humanities May 1, 2025
Cites 17
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs: Past, Present, and Future. Neuropsychopharmacology April 26, 2017
- Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study PLoS One August 19, 2013
- Long-term effects of psychedelic drugs: A systematic review Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews March 16, 2020
- Psychedelic Agents in Creative Problem-Solving: A Pilot Study Psychological Reports August 1, 1966
and 12 more in the library