Does psychedelic drug use reduce risk of suicidality? Evidence from a longitudinal community-based cohort of marginalised women in a Canadian setting
In a longitudinal community-based cohort of marginalised women in Metro Vancouver, lifetime psychedelic drug use was associated with a 60% reduced hazard of incident suicidality over 54 months (adjusted HR 0.40), while crystal methamphetamine use and childhood abuse increased risk. These observational, naturalistic findings suggest a potential protective association of psychedelics and support further investigation of their therapeutic utility for mental health.
Abstract
Objective
This study aimed to longitudinally investigate whether ever having used a psychedelic drug can have a protective effect on incidence of suicidality among marginalised women.
Design
Longitudinal community-based cohort study.
Setting
Data were drawn from a prospective, community-based cohort of marginalised women in Metro Vancouver, Canada. Participants 766 women completed the baseline questionnaire between January 2010 and August 2014. Participants who did not report suicidality at baseline and who completed at least one follow-up visit were included. Main outcome measure Extended Cox regression was used to model predictors of new suicidality (suicide ideation or attempts) over 54-month follow-up.
Results
Nearly half (46%; n=355) of participants reported prior suicidality and were thus excluded from the present analyses. Of 290 women eligible at baseline, 11% (n=31) reported recent suicidality during follow-up, with an incidence density of 4.42 per 100 person-years (95% CI 3.10 to 6.30). In multivariable analysis, reported lifetime psychedelic drug use was associated with a 60% reduced hazard for suicidality (adjusted HR (AHR) 0.40; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.94). Crystal methamphetamine use (AHR 3.25; 95% CI 1.47 to 7.21) and childhood abuse (AHR 3.54; 95% CI 1.49 to 8.40) remained independent predictors of suicidality.
Conclusion
The high rate of suicidality identified in this study is of major concern. Alongside emerging evidence on the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat some mental illness and addiction issues, our findings demonstrate that naturalistic psychedelic drug use is independently associated with reduced suicidality, while other illicit drug use and childhood trauma predispose women to suicidality. While observational, this study supports calls for further investigation of the therapeutic utility of psychedelic drugs in treating poor mental health and promoting mental wellness.
Research Summary of 'Does psychedelic drug use reduce risk of suicidality? Evidence from a longitudinal community-based cohort of marginalised women in a Canadian setting'
Introduction
Argento and colleagues frame suicide as a persistent global public health problem, with particular severity among marginalised populations such as street-involved and drug-using women who exchange sex. Earlier research has highlighted elevated rates of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidality in these groups, and has linked suicidality to a complex interplay of biological, interpersonal and sociostructural drivers including childhood trauma, violence, social exclusion and criminalisation. The literature on effective prevention and treatment is limited by heterogeneity, publication bias and ethical constraints on suicide research, leaving a need for innovative approaches tailored to vulnerable populations. Against this background, the study investigates whether lifetime use of psychedelic drugs is associated with a reduced incidence of suicidality (defined as suicidal ideation or attempts) in a community-based prospective cohort of marginalised women in Metro Vancouver, Canada. The authors hypothesised that psychedelic drug use would have an independent protective effect over the observation period, and positioned the work amid renewed clinical and observational interest in psychedelic substances for mood, trauma and addiction-related conditions.
Expert Research Summaries
Go Pro to access AI-powered section-by-section summaries, editorial takes, and the full research toolkit.
Full Text PDF
Full Paper PDF
Create a free account to open full-text PDFs.
Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Topics
- Author
- APA Citation
Argento, E., Strathdee, S. A., Tupper, K., Braschel, M., Wood, E., & Shannon, K. (2017). Does psychedelic drug use reduce risk of suicidality? Evidence from a longitudinal community-based cohort of marginalised women in a Canadian setting. BMJ Open, 7(9), e016025. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016025
References (28)
Papers cited by this study that are also in Blossom
Tupper, K. W., Wood, E., Yensen, R. et al. · Canadian Medical Association Journal (2015)
Nichols, D. E. · Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2004)
Bedi, G., Hyman, D., De Wit, H. · Biological Psychiatry (2010)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Williams, T. M. et al. · British Journal of Psychiatry (2018)
Dos Santos, R. G., Osório, F. L., Crippa, J. A. et al. · Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology (2016)
Oehen, P., Traber, R., Widmer, V. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2012)
Sessa, B., Johnson, M. W. · British Journal of Psychiatry (2018)
Hendricks, P. S., Clark, B., Johnson, M. W. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2014)
Walsh, Z., Hendricks, P. S., Smith, S. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)
Hendricks, P. S., Thorne, C. B., Clark, B. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2015)
Show all 28 referencesShow fewer
Krebs, T. S., Johansen, P. ˚. Ø. · PLOS ONE (2013)
Johansen, P. Ø., Krebs, T. S. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2015)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Bolstridge, M., Rucker, J. et al. · Lancet Psychiatry (2016)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Kaelen, M., Bolstridge, M. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2016)
Sanches, R. F., Osório, F. L., Dos Santos, R. G. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2016)
Kraehenmann, R., Preller, K. H., Scheidegger, M. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2015)
Grob, C. S., Danforth, A. L., Chopra, G. S. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2011)
Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W., Richards, W. A. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2011)
Bogenschutz, M. P., Johnson, M. W. · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry (2016)
Gasser, P., Holstein, D., Michel, Y. et al. · Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (2014)
Mithoefer, M. C., Wagner, M. T., Mithoefer, A. T. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2010)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Shanahan, M. et al. · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2014)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T. et al. · PNAS (2012)
Osório, F. L., Sanches, R. F., Macedo, L. et al. · brazilian Journal of Psychiatry (2015)
Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., Mccann, U. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2006)
Rodríguez-Fornells, A., Ribeiro, S., Sanches, R. F. et al. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2015)
Johnson, M. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., Cosimano, M. P. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2014)
Mithoefer, M. C., Wagner, M. T., Mithoefer, A. T. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2012)
Cited By (21)
Papers in Blossom that reference this study
Marrocu, A., Kettner, H., Weiss, B. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2024)
Jones, G. M., Nock, M. K. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Nikolaidis, A., Lancelotta, R., Gukasyan, N. et al. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2023)
Aharon-Almagor, A., Barrett, F. S. · Research Square (2022)
Kočárová, C., Horacek, J., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Rodan, S., Aouad, P., McGregor, I. S. et al. · OBM Neurobiology (2021)
Ross, E., Agin-Liebes, G. I., Zeifman, R. J. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Zeifman, R. J., Singhal, N., Breslow, L. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Nichols, D. E., Walter, H. · Pharmacopsychiatry (2020)
Brouwer, A., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Show all 21 papersShow fewer
Zeifman, R. J., Dos Santos, R. G., Sanches, R. F. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2020)
Johnson, S., Black, Q. C. · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction (2020)
Fuentes, J. J., Fonseca, F., Elices, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2020)
Araújo, D. B., Zeifman, R. J., Palhano-Fontes, F. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2019)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Friston, K. J. · Pharmacological Reviews (2019)
Johnson, M. W., Hendricks, P. S., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2019)
Polito, V., Stevenson, R. J. · PLOS ONE (2019)
Haijen, E. C. H. M., Kaelen, M., Roseman, L. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Hendricks, P. S. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)
Mason, N. L., Kuypers, K. P. C. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2018)
Swanson, L. R. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Your Personal Research Library
Go Pro to save papers, add notes, rate studies, and organize your research into custom shelves.