The most recent clinical psychology research from Harvard University's Nock Laboratory in Boston, MA, suggests that classic psychedelics, including peyote, mescaline, psilocybin, and LSD, may be linked to a reduced likelihood of substance misuse and the development of Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD).
Key findings from the study include:
- Peyote use is associated with a decrease of over 50% in the odds of developing CUD.
- All other classic psychedelics either show no significant changes in the development of CUD or an increased risk.
- The study results could contribute to the development of treatment strategies for CUD involving psychedelics.
Classical psychedelics, such as peyote, mescaline, psilocybin, and LSD, have a history documented in medical literature since the 1940s and have been utilized by indigenous cultures for ceremonial, spiritual, and ritualistic purposes for thousands of years. These substances act on the brain by affecting the serotonin 2A receptor, inducing altered visual, auditory, and consciousness states associated with psychedelic experiences.
Previous research has linked classic psychedelic use to the improvement of substance use disorders, including nicotine and alcohol addiction. Recent associations have also been made between psychedelic use and reductions in the abuse of other substances like cannabis, stimulants, and opioids.
While research on the association of classical psychedelics with the relief or prevention of CUD is limited, other studies suggest the potential utility of psychedelics for CUD. For example, the use of ketamine, a non-classical psychedelic, has been linked to reduced cocaine use, cravings, relapse, and increased abstinence. Ketamine acts on the glutamate system, different from the serotonin system targeted by classical psychedelics, but produces similar effects, including mystical experiences associated with improvements in CUD.
To investigate further, researchers at the Nock Laboratory analyzed four years of data from over 214,500 respondents participating in The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Out of the participants, 1,017 were identified with CUD based on DSM-IV criteria. The study examined whether the use of each classic psychedelic was associated with decreased odds of CUD, and if so, explored which DSM-IV criteria were affected.
Among the classical psychedelics, peyote was the only substance associated with significantly lower odds of CUD in the previous year, with odds reduced by more than 50%. It also showed lowered odds for 7 out of 11 total CUD criteria outlined by DSM-IV.
Peyote was linked to lower odds for 4 out of 7 criteria for cocaine dependence in CUD and 3 out of 4 criteria for cocaine abuse in CUD. As both risk factors and protective factors for CUD are not well understood, these study results could stimulate further discussion in scientific and medical communities.
Future research may provide a deeper understanding of why peyote is associated with decreased CUD and explore the association of other classical psychedelics with increased chances of CUD, as well as reasons why mescaline, despite its similarities to peyote, does not show lowered odds of CUD.