Recent reports indicate skyrocketing use of psilocybin — the hallucinogenic compound found in psychedelic mushrooms. This increase coincides with a big public perception shift—more people now are accepting the substance. A new research letter published in the Annals of Internal Medicine illustrates a troubling divergence that started in 2019. The evidence indicates an especially steep rise in this population, adolescents and young adults.
Perhaps most surprising is the 723% increase in calls to poison control centers related to psilocybin poisoning for kids ages 12-18. This has been a huge change, especially since 2019. In 2023, the number of calls for this age group has already multiplied by an alarming factor. The average rate remained low, with less than one child per 100,000 diagnosed. Importantly, most of these instances appear to result from children mistakenly eating psilocybin edible products meant for adult consumers.
Calls for psilocybin exposure in children 11 and under have increased. The data paints a consistent, undeniable pattern in both improving access to psilocybin products. This alarming trend signals a growing indifference to child safety.
This increase in adult psilocybin use is just as dramatic. Within the 18-29-year-old age group, past-year usage increased by 44% in 2023, with a usage rate of 2.1%. Among adults age 30 and older, past-year psilocybin use almost tripled to a rate of 1.8%. Additionally, 2.5% of 12th graders indicated having used psilocybin in the last year—which is a 53% rise since 2019.
The report highlights how one key factor has been changing public perceptions about the dangers of psychedelics. As you can imagine, many of these people now do not look at psilocybin through the same lens as a purely recreational drug. This change in perception is opening up more people than ever to the potential of psilocybin. At the same time, its decriminalization in many U.S. jurisdictions is probably making it more popular.
In response to the findings, Dr. Korthuis had this to say. As he explained, “This is not surprising at all if you’ve been following what’s happening over the last 10 years.” This is a noteworthy statement given the increasing acceptance and interest in psilocybin and other psychedelics as potential therapeutic treatments.
Despite the increase in interest and usage, health officials express concerns regarding safety and potential health risks associated with psilocybin exposure. Overall, at least 1,550 people of all ages had to get medical help for their psilocybin use in 2023, among them at least 1,192 adults. Dr. Yockey expressed concern at the emerging use of psilocybin in adolescents. He called for greater awareness and education about its negative impacts among younger people.
Dr. Yockey also provided insight into how medical professionals should approach potential cases of psilocybin exposure: “If someone comes to the ER saying I have psilocybin exposure, one of the first things a doctor should do is test for it.” This recommendation to avoid being overwhelmed with more cases at the same time underscores the need for appropriate medical response.