Microdosing of Psychedelics Grows and Reaches Millions of Adults in the US

Small doses, a broad picture. A new report from the RAND Corporation sheds light on how adults in the United States have been interacting with psychedelics, detailing not only which substances are most used, but also the frequency of microdosing, a practice that has been part of the routine of millions of people over the past year. 

According to the RAND website, the survey helps to assess the recent use of these substances in the country.

Most mentioned substances in the last year

The survey interviewed 10,122 American adults and estimated the prevalence of the use of different psychedelics in the 12 months prior to data collection. According to the report, psilocybin, present in psychedelic mushrooms, was the most mentioned substance, with about 4.3% of adults reporting use in the period. Next come MDMA, LSD, ketamine, and Amanita muscaria mushroom, all with lower but significant percentages within the analyzed sample.

The study also includes less common substances, such as ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT, which appeared with a prevalence of less than 1% among respondents, reinforcing the comprehensive nature of the survey.

Microdosing and consumption patterns

The report delves into the analysis by observing how these substances are used. Microdosing, defined as the consumption of a fraction of the usual dose, without intense hallucinogenic effects, was reported by a significant portion of users. Among those who used psilocybin in the last year, 69% said they had microdosed at least once. Among MDMA users, the percentage was 65%, while 59% of LSD users reported the practice.

According to the RAND website, considering the dataset, it is estimated that about 9.55 million adults, equivalent to 3.7% of the adult population in the United States, have microdosed some psychedelic substance in the period analyzed. The report also highlights that the numbers are based on self-reports, a common method in population surveys of this type.