Police Seizures of Psilocybin are Up 369% Since 2017

As psychedelics have increased in recent years, so have the risks. Data suggests that police seizures of psychedelics, specifically psilocybin (or magic mushrooms), have surged significantly.

We take a look at this correlation between excitement and risk below.

Recent research has unveiled a significant uptick in law enforcement confiscations of psilocybin, the psychoactive substance in psychedelic mushrooms, marking a 369 percent increase since 2017. This notable rise points to a broader trend of increasing awareness and availability of this hallucinogenic substance, potentially signaling an uptick in its recreational and unsupervised use, which could carry associated risks.

Led by scholars at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the National Drug Early Warning System, a study delved into national and state-level data on drug trafficking. This investigation revealed a leap from 402 psilocybin seizures in 2017 to 1,393 in 2022, with the quantity of confiscated drugs nearly quadrupling over this period. Joseph J. Palamar, PhD, MPH, the study’s lead author and an associate professor at NYU Langone Health, remarked on the significance of these findings, highlighting the need for increased prevention and harm reduction efforts in light of psilocybin’s growing popularity.

Psilocybin, a compound found in certain fungi, is known for its mind-altering effects, which are comparable to those of LSD and mescaline. Despite its classification as a controlled substance federally, there’s a growing interest in its potential therapeutic benefits, with research exploring its use in treating various conditions in highly controlled settings. Nevertheless, its recreational use and the implications of loosening legal restrictions in several American locales remain poorly understood.

The study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, is pioneering in its focus on psilocybin seizure trends across the U.S., analyzing data from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program. This comprehensive analysis spanned over 4,526 seizure incidents from January 2017 to December 2022, offering insights into regional trends and the overall weight of confiscated psilocybin.

Findings from the study indicated a significant number of seizures in the Midwest, followed by the West, where conditions are favorable for the growth of psilocybin-producing mushrooms. This regional data sheds light on the environmental and possibly cultural factors influencing the distribution and seizure rates of psilocybin across the United States.

Dr. Palamar emphasizes the importance of deeper investigation into the changing dynamics of psilocybin’s popularity and its effects on recreational users. Moreover, there’s a call for research into how decriminalization efforts may be influencing both the usage of psilocybin and the frequency of seizures. While law enforcement seizures offer some insight into the drug’s availability and distribution, they provide an incomplete picture, necessitating a cautious interpretation of these findings.

As psilocybin gains traction both in medicinal research and recreational use, the substantial increase in seizures by law enforcement underscores the complexities surrounding its regulation, availability, and the potential risks of unsupervised consumption. This evolving landscape calls for a balanced approach, combining scientific research, public health initiatives, and informed policy-making to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by psilocybin and similar substances.