Interest In Microdosing Has Spiked Along With Changes To Psychedelics And Marijuana Laws, American Medical Association Study Finds

Public interest in microdosing marijuana and psychedelics has been spiking amid the reform movement, with Google searches related to the dosing technique growing by 1,250 percent from 2015 to 2023, according to a new study federally funded study published by the the American Medical Association (AMA).

Researchers at the University of California San Diego conducted an analysis of Google search queries related to microdosing from 2010 to 2023, comparing the trends to local and state cannabis and psychedelics policy changes. They found a “notable increase in searches for microdosing across the US” that are attributable to the reforms.

The study, published in JAMA Health Forum on Friday, utilized an event-time difference-in-difference model to investigate a potential casual effect. Researchers looked at monthly and annual changes in microdosing searches before and after a state or locality enacted a drug policy change.

“Searches for microdosing in the US remained stable until 2014, then increased annually thereafter, with a cumulative increase by a factor of 13.4 from 2015 to 2023 (7.9 per 10 million to 105.6 per 10 million searches, respectively),” it found. “In 2023, there were 3.0 million microdosing searches in the US.”

“Interest in microdosing is increasing across the US and is influenced by legislative reforms concerning both psychedelics and cannabis.”

Broken down further, the study found that local psychedelics decriminalization laws were linked to a 22.4 per million increase in microdosing search rates; statewide psychedelics reform laws were associated with a 28.9 per 10 million increase; statewide adult-use marijuana laws increased microdosing search rates by 40.9 per 10 million; and medical cannabis legalization caused an increase of 11.5 per 10 million.

“As public interest in using psychedelics and cannabis for health grows, it’s crucial that the medical community conducts studies to establish a strong evidence base for their safety and efficacy,” researchers wrote. “Without understanding the risks and benefits, people may turn to unproven alternative therapies, exposing themselves to potential dangers. It’s our responsibility as a medical community to ensure patients have access to safe, effective and evidence-based treatments.”

Eric Leas, an assistant professor of public health and senior author of the study, cautioned that psilocybin and other psychedelics remain Schedule I substances under federal law, meaning their use “poses legal risks for consumers and concerns of product impurity because of a lack of manufacturing standards.”

Interest in microdosing has surged as regulations on #cannabis and #psychedelics loosen; searches grew 1250% from 2015 to 2023. #Microdosing#researched@UCSDMedSchool@UCSanDiegohttps://t.co/v2VRijufsw

— UC San Diego Health Sciences (@UCSDHealthSci) June 28, 2024

The study, which was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the California Tobacco Related Disease Research Program, concludes by saying the findings “suggest that rigorous clinical studies are needed to evaluate the safety profile and potential benefits of microdosing to inform evidence-based practices and policymaking to match public interest.”

“Additional population-based surveillance is needed to identify who is microdosing, their reasons, and how these practices might change with the evolving legal landscape,” it says.

“State-led legislative reforms on cannabis and psychedelics were associated with increased public interest in microdosing psychedelics.”

To be sure, a majority of states have enacted some form of marijuana legalization, while a growing number of states and localities are pursuing psychedelics reform. National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director previously told Marijuana Moment that the “train has left the station” on psychedelics as the reform movement spreads.

And while the researchers for the JAMA study noted that federal prohibition means unsanctioned use of the psychedelic could pose risks to consumers, another federal agency recently acknowledged the potential benefits the substance might provide—including for treatment of alcohol use disorder, anxiety and depression. It also noted psilocybin research being funded by the federal government into the drug’s effects on pain, migraines, psychiatric disorders and various other conditions.

Separate research published recently on psilocybin found that it’s unlikely that a single experience with the drug changes people’s religious or metaphysical beliefs—though it may affect their perception of whether animals, plants or other objects experience consciousness.

Findings of another recent study suggests that the use of full-spectrum psychedelic mushroom extract has a more powerful effect than chemically synthesized psilocybin alone, which could have implications for psychedelic-assisted therapy. The findings imply that the experience of entheogenic mushrooms may involve a so-called “entourage effect” similar to what’s observed with cannabis and its many components.

A separate study recently published by AMA found that single-dose psilocybin use was “not associated with risk of paranoia,” while other adverse effects such as headaches are generally “tolerable and resolved within 48 hours.”

That study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, involved a meta-analysis of double-blind clinical trials where psilocybin was used to treat anxiety and depression from 1966 to last year.

AMA published another recent study that similarly contradicted commonly held beliefs about the potential risks of psychedelics use, finding the substances “may be associated with lower rates of psychotic symptoms among adolescents.”

Also, results of a clinical trial published by AMA in December “suggest efficacy and safety” of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of bipolar II disorder, a mental health condition often associated with debilitating and difficult-to-treat depressive episodes.

The association also published research last August that found people with major depression experienced “clinically significant sustained reduction” in their symptoms after just one dose of psilocybin.

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Psilocybin, LSD And Other Psychedelics Improve Sexual Satisfaction For Months After Use, New Study Finds

Psychedelic substances, including psilocybin mushrooms, LSD and others, may improve sexual function—even months after a psychedelic experience, according to a new study.

The findings, published on Wednesday in Nature Scientific Reports, are based largely on a survey of 261 participants both before and after taking psychedelics. Researchers from Imperial College London’s Centre for Psychedelic Research then combined those responses with results of a separate clinical trial that compared psilocybin and a commonly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) for treating depression.

Authors say it’s the first scientific study to formally explore the effects of psychedelics on sexual functioning. While anecdotal reports and and qualitative evidence suggest the substances may be beneficial, the study says, “this has never been formally tested.”

“It’s important to stress our work does not focus on what happens to sexual functioning while people are on psychedelics, and we are not talking about perceived ‘sexual performance,’” said Tommaso Barba, a PhD student at the Centre for Psychedelic Research and the lead author of the study, “but it does indicate there may be a lasting positive impact on sexual functioning after their psychedelic experience, which could potentially have impacts on psychological wellbeing.”

“Both studies and populations reported enhanced sexual functioning and satisfaction following psychedelic use.”

Authors noted that sexual dysfunction is a common symptom of mental health disorders as well as a common side effect of certain medications, such as SSRIs.

“On the surface, this type of research may seem ‘quirky,’” Barba said in a statement, “but the psychological aspects of sexual function—including how we think about our own bodies, our attraction to our partners, and our ability to connect to people intimately—are all important to psychological wellbeing in sexually active adults.”

Co-author Bruna Giribaldi said that while most studies ask whether depression treatments cause sexual dysfunction, this study attempted to go further.

“We wanted to make sure we went deeper than that and explored more aspects of sexuality that could be impacted by these treatments,” Giribaldi added. “We were interested in finding out whether psychedelics could influence people’s experiences of sexuality in a positive way, as it appeared from existing anecdotal evidence.”

The team’s analysis found that respondents typically experienced improvement in sexual function for as long as six months after a psychedelic experience, observing upticks in reported enjoyment of sex, sexual arousal, satisfaction with sex, attraction to their partners, their own physical appearance, communication and their sense of connection.

“Naturalistic use of psychedelics was associated with improvements in several facets of sexual functioning and satisfaction, including improved pleasure and communication during sex, satisfaction with one’s partner and physical appearance.”

The most striking improvements were around seeing sex as “a spiritual or sacred experience,” satisfaction with one’s own appearance and one’s partner as well as the experience of pleasure itself.

“Sexuality is a fundamental human drive. For example, we know that sexual dysfunction is linked to lower well-being in healthy adults, can impact relationship satisfaction, and is even linked to subjective happiness and ‘meaning in life,’” Barba said.

Psychoactive compounds may help to improve sexual function for months after the psychedelic experience. 🍄

Read more about the findings of the first known scientific investigation into the effects of #psychedelics on sex from our @Imperial_PRG.👇https://t.co/uRh86ErLXX

— Imperial Department of Brain Sciences (@ImperialBrains) February 8, 2024

The only marker of sexual function that did not go up significantly was “importance of sex,” which could be read to mean that psychedelics did not cause hypersexuality or an excessive focus on sex.

In the clinical trial portion of the study, which compared psilocybin therapy to the SSRI escitalopram, authors found that while both treatments showed “similar reductions” in depressive symptoms, “patients treated with psilocybin reported positive changes in sexual functioning after treatment, while patients treated with escitalopram did not.”

Barba said that’s especially significant because “sexual dysfunction, often induced by antidepressants, frequently results in people stopping these medications and subsequently relapsing.”

David Erritzoe, clinical director of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, said the findings “shine more light on the far-reaching effects of psychedelics on an array of psychological functioning” but said more study is still needed, especially in light of the currently illicit nature of psychedelics.

“While the findings are indeed interesting, we are still far from a clear clinical application,” Erritzoe said in a release, “because psychedelics are yet to be integrated into the medical system. In future, we may be able to see a clinical application, but more research is needed.”

As the study itself says, “These findings highlight the need for further research utilizing more comprehensive and validated measures to fully understand the results of psychedelics on sexual functioning. However, the preliminary results do suggest that psychedelics may be a useful tool for disorders that impact sexual functioning.”

“Use of psychedelic drugs might foster an improvement in several facets of sexual functioning and satisfaction, including experienced pleasure, sexual satisfaction, communication of sexual desires and body image.”

The new study comes just a few months after a study published by the American Medical Association reported the apparent “efficacy and safety” of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of bipolar II disorder, a mental health condition often associated with debilitating and difficult-to-treat depressive episodes.

Both studies are part of a growing body of research demonstrating the potential of psilocybin and other entheogens to treat a range of mental health conditions, including PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and others.

A recently published survey of more than 1,200 patients in Canada, for example, suggested use of psilocybin can help ease psychological distress in people who had adverse experiences as children. Researchers said the psychedelic appeared to offer “particularly strong benefits to those with more severe childhood adversity.”

And in September, researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Ohio State University and Unlimited Sciences published findings showing an association between psilocybin use and “persisting reductions” in depression, anxiety and alcohol misuse—as well as increases in emotional regulation, spiritual wellbeing and extraversion.

A separate study from the American Medical Association (AMA) came out in August showing that people with major depression experienced “clinically significant sustained reduction” in their symptoms after just one dose of psilocybin.

As for other entheogens, a separate peer-reviewed study published in the journal Nature recently found that treatment with MDMA reduced symptoms in patients with moderate to severe PTSD—results that position the substance for potential approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Another study published in August found that administering a small dose of MDMA along with psilocybin or LSD appears to reduce feelings of discomfort like guilt and fear that are sometimes side effects of consuming so-called magic mushrooms or LSD alone.

A first-of-its-kind analysis released in June, meanwhile, offered novel insights into the mechanisms through which psychedelic-assisted therapy appears to help people struggling with alcoholism.

At the federal level, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently started soliciting proposals for a series of research initiatives meant to explore how psychedelics could be used to treat drug addiction, with plans to provide $1.5 million in funding to support relevant studies.

As for other research into controlled substances and sex, a report last year in the Journal of Cannabis Research found that marijuana could also enhance sexual enjoyment, especially for women—findings authors said could help close the “orgasm inequality gap” between men and women.

A 2022 study out of Spain, meanwhile, found that young adults who smoke marijuana and drink alcohol had better orgasms and overall sexual function than their peers who abstain or use less.

An earlier 2020 study in the journal Sexual Medicine also found that women who used cannabis more often had better sex.

Numerous online surveys have reported similar positive associations between marijuana and sex. One study even found a connection between the passage of marijuana laws and increased sexual activity.

Yet another, however, cautioned that more marijuana doesn’t necessarily mean better sex. A literature review published in 2019 found that cannabis’s impact on libido may depend on dosage, with lower amounts of THC correlating with the highest levels of arousal and satisfaction. Most studies showed that marijuana has a positive effect on women’s sexual function, the study found, but too much THC can actually backfire.

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Elon Musk Says People Should Be ‘Open To Psychedelics’ And Predicts The Next Generation Of Politicians Will Normalize The Substances

Elon Musk might have his eyes set on Mars, but he says people should also be open to exploring internally with psychedelics.

The SpaceX founder also predicted that, as younger generations assume positions of power in government, there will be a greater societal embrace of the therapeutic potential of psychedelics.

Musk was asked about the issue during a panel event at CodeCon on Tuesday. Citing the entrepreneur’s past comments on DMT, Field Trip co-founder Ronan Levy asked “what role you think psychedelics may have in addressing some of the more destructive tendencies of humanity.”

“I think, generally, people should be open to psychedelics,” Musk said. “A lot of people making laws are kind of from a different era, so I think, as the new generation gets into political power, I think we will see greater receptivity to the benefits of psychedelics.”

While Musk is encouraging open-mindedness on psychedelics, he said earlier this year during an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast that he feels CBD from cannabis is overhyped and “doesn’t do anything.”

That exchange started with Musk and Rogan reflecting on an earlier podcast show in 2018, where the SpaceX and Tesla CEO puffed on a marijuana blunt (which he later claimed he never actually inhaled), prompting an investigation by NASA over his aerospace company’s “workplace safety” and “adherence to a drug-free environment.”

Thanks @elonmusk for talking #psychedelics with me yesterday. Always happy to talk further. https://t.co/PFX8aw6cFl

— Ronan Levy (@RonanDLevy) September 29, 2021

Musk might not be on-board with CBD, but he does enjoy playing into marijuana culture from time to time.

When shares of Telsa hit $420, for example, he responded on Twitter with crying laughing emojis and said “Whoa … the stock is so high lol.”

Of course, 420 is well known among cannabis enthusiasts, as it represents the unofficial cannabis holiday, 4/20. And that wasn’t the first time that Musk has played into it, either.

The billionaire tech entrepreneur landed in hot water with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2018 after he said he was considering taking Tesla private at a share price of $420—an announcement that SEC described as “false and misleading” and that was made without required notification to regulators.

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Photo elements courtesy of carlosemmaskype and Apollo.