Perceived Risk of Trying Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in the United States from 2015 to 2019: Are Americans Assessing Lysergic Acid Diethylamide's Risk Profile More Favorably?
Brian S. Barnett, Akhil Anand, Elizabeth N. Dewey, Darron T. Smith, Sandeep M. Nayak, David Bruckman, Jeremy Weleff
Psychedelic Medicine June 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1089/psymed.2023.0027 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Respondents to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2015 to 2019 |
| Duration | 2015 to 2019 |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Harm reduction Drug risks Substance safety National survey Lysergic acid Risk perception |
| Citations | 20 |
| Key findings | From 2015 to 2019, the proportion of Americans perceiving 'great' risk in trying LSD decreased from 70.5% to 64.8%, with several demographic and behavioral factors associated with perceived risk. |
Abstract
Though lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) use is rising in the United States amid expanding research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, little scholarly work exists on whether perceived risk of trying LSD (prLSD) is changing or factors influencing prLSD among the general public. Therefore, we sought to investigate changes in prLSD from 2015 to 2019 and identify characteristics associated with prLSD among respondents to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Using NDSUH data from 2015 to 2019, we investigated correlates of and temporal trends in prLSD, reporting results for the entire sample, as well under age 18 (<18) and age 18 and older (18+) subgroups. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts were used to evaluate trends across survey years. Multivariable models were constructed to identify factors associated with prLSD. On multivariable modeling for respondents age 18+, lower prLSD had statistically significant associations with later survey year, personal LSD use, younger age, higher education level, male gender, identifying as a sexual minority, past year psychological distress, and other factors. Higher prLSD was associated with identifying as Black or Hispanic, past year suicide attempt, and having children in the home. Notable differences in the age <18 subgroup were no association between prLSD and identifying as Hispanic and male gender being associated with higher prLSD. From 2015 to 2019, there was a statistically significant linear decreasing trend in proportion of respondents who perceived "great" risk in trying LSD [from 70.5% to 64.8%; (p < 0.0001)]. Similar trends were observed in most subgroups that were analyzed. We observed differences in prLSD among subgroups, suggesting that factors such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, and personal history of LSD may be related to prLSD. Overall, Americans appear to be assessing LSD's risk profile more favorably in recent years, though most Americans still perceive great risk in trying LSD.
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 16
- Practical considerations in the establishment of psychedelic research programs. Psychopharmacology 2025
- Psychedelic iatrogenic structural dissociation: an exploratory hypothesis on dissociative risks in psychedelic use. Frontiers in Psychology March 4, 2025
- Associations between psychedelic use and cannabis use disorder in a nationally representative sample. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2025
- Out of control: Blinding, dose response, and psychosocial controls in psychedelic trials Journal of Psychopharmacology September 1, 2025
- Protective Behavioral Strategies for Psychedelic Use: A Mini Review of the Evidence. Psychedelic Medicine December 1, 2024
and 11 more in the library
Cites 30
- Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With Life-threatening Diseases The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease March 4, 2014
- Set and setting, psychedelics and the placebo response: An extra-pharmacological perspective on psychopharmacology Journal of Psychopharmacology November 16, 2016
- Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Therapy in Patients With Anxiety With and Without a Life-Threatening Illness: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase II Study. Biological Psychiatry February 1, 2023
- Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder: Etiology, Clinical Features, and Therapeutic Perspectives Brain Sciences March 16, 2018
- Psychedelic Microdosing: Prevalence and Subjective Effects Journal of Psychoactive Drugs January 23, 2020
and 25 more in the library