Psilocybin microdosing in the United States: Insights from a nationally representative survey
Michelle Priest, Beau Kilmer, Rajeev Ramchand, Samer Atshan
Addiction March 8, 2026 DOI: 10.1111/add.70368 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Survey study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults |
| Topics | Psilocybin Microdosing |
| Keywords | Multinomial logistic regression Epidemiology Microdose Population Confidence interval Demography Environmental health Hallucinogen Young adult |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | At least 8.4 million US adults have microdosed psilocybin, and improving physical and mental health are the top motivations for microdosing. |
Abstract
At least 8.4 million US adults have microdosed psilocybin in their lifetime. Those who have used psilocybin within the past year are more likely to report microdosing the last time they used than those who have used psilocybin more than one year ago; however, approximately 15% respondents who used psilocybin in their lifetime were unsure whether they microdosed the last time they used. Improving physical and mental health are the top motivations for self-reported microdosing among US adults.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
-
At least 8.4 million US adults reported lifetime psilocybin microdosing, with improving physical and mental health the top motivations.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on psilocybin and microdosing, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motives and Side-Effects of Microdosing With Psychedelics Among Users Psychedelic users with microdosing experience | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 1,116 |
| Microdosing psychedelics: Motivations, subjective effects and harm reduction People aged 16 years or older who had used psychedelics and could comprehend written... | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 525 |
| Microdosing psychedelics: Demographics, practices, and psychiatric comorbidities Adults recruited primarily from the online forum Reddit | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 909 |
| Microdosing psychedelics: Subjective benefits and challenges, substance testing behavior, and the relevance of intention People who reported microdosing lysergic acid diethylamide or psilocybin in the past 12... | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 6,753 |
| Prevalence and Reasons for Microdosing Cannabis, Psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA Among U.S. Adults U.S. adults | 2026 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 1,523 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 1
Cites 7
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin Molecules May 15, 2021
- Psychedelic Microdosing: A Subreddit Analysis Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 24, 2019
- Microdosing psychedelics and the risk of cardiac fibrosis and valvulopathy: Comparison to known cardiotoxins Journal of Psychopharmacology January 12, 2024
- Crafting effective regulatory policies for psychedelics: What can be learned from the case of cannabis? Addiction June 6, 2024
- State Cannabis and Psychedelic Legislation and Microdosing Interest in the US. JAMA Health Forum June 7, 2024
and 2 more in the library