Study Finds Psychedelic Decriminalization Has Not Led to More Emergency Room Visits
A new study offers reassuring news for advocates of psychedelic reform. Despite growing concerns about policy changes, decriminalization has not triggered a wave of hospital visits. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, examined national hospital data from 2016 to 2023. It found no link between loosening restrictions on substances like psilocybin and emergency room admissions.
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| Key Takeaway | Details |
|---|---|
| No ER spike | Decriminalization showed no correlation with increased emergency visits |
| Admissions declined | Hospital admissions actually fell from early 2020 through 2023 |
| Rare incidents | Hallucinogen cases account for just 0.6 to 1.2 percent of substance related hospital encounters |
| Alcohol dominates | Alcohol and opioids drive far more emergency visits than psychedelics |
| Vulnerable populations | Those admitted often have serious mental illness or other substance use disorders |
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What the Researchers Found
The study was a joint effort between Saint Louis University and Washington University School of Medicine. Researchers analyzed years of hospital admission records. They found something surprising. Even as psychedelic use has increased, ER visits have not followed suit.
Richard Grucza, a professor at Saint Louis University, noted the significance. Rising hallucinogen use does not appear to be driving more emergency visits. Instead, alcohol and other drugs seem responsible for adverse outcomes.
Admissions Actually Declined
Kevin Xu, assistant professor of psychiatry at Washington University, pointed to another key finding. After a small rise through early 2020, admissions dropped through 2023. This decline occurred even as decriminalization spread to more cities and states. The timing matters. Psilocybin is nearing FDA consideration as a treatment for depression.
Psychedelics Remain a Small Fraction of Cases
The data puts psychedelic incidents in perspective. They represent less than 1.2 percent of all substance related hospital visits. Compare that to the toll from alcohol and opioids. Those substances drive the vast majority of emergency encounters.
Risks Still Exist
The researchers urged caution despite the positive findings. Psychedelics can pose real dangers for certain people. Those with existing mental health conditions face elevated risks. Many patients admitted for hallucinogen incidents also struggled with serious mental illness or other substance issues.
The study does not suggest psychedelics are risk free. It suggests that current policy changes have not created the public health crisis some feared.
