Substance Use Disorders (SUD)Equity and EthicsLSDMescalinePsilocybin

Psilocybin use is associated with lowered odds of crime arrests in US adults: A replication and extension

Using nationally representative NSDUH data (2015–2019, N = 211,549), the study found lifetime psilocybin use was associated with lowered odds of several types of past-year arrests (adjusted ORs 0.30–0.73). Peyote and mescaline showed limited protective associations for specific offences, most other substances were unrelated or linked to higher arrest odds, and causality remains unestablished.

7 cited-by links indexed in Blossom

Ask Blossom about this paper

Authors

George Jones
Matthew Nock

Published

January 28, 2022

Journal of Psychopharmacology

individual Study

Links

Read Paper Additional source DOI Google Scholar

Abstract

Background

The United States boasts the largest prison population in the world, conferring significant direct and indirect costs (e.g. lost wages for the incarcerated, increased morbidity/mortality, etc.) to society. Recidivism rates are high for the imprisoned and most interventions to reduce criminality are minimally effective. Thus, in addition to the need for criminal justice reform, there is a need to better understand factors linked to lowered criminal behavior.

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between the use of classic psychedelic substances (psilocybin, LSD, peyote, and mescaline) and past year arrests for various crimes (i.e. property, violence, alcohol and substance use, miscellaneous crimes).

Methods

This study used nationally representative data from The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) (2015–2019) ( N = 211,549) to test the aforementioned associations.

Results

Lifetime psilocybin use was associated with lowered odds of seven of 11 past year arrest variables (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) range = 0.30–0.73). Peyote was associated with reduced odds of motor vehicle theft (aOR = 0.30) and driving under the influence (aOR = 0.52), and mescaline was associated with reduced odds of drug possession/sale (aOR = 0.51). Virtually all other substances either shared no relationship to our outcomes or conferred higher odds of arrest.

Conclusion

This study suggests that use of classic psychedelic substances is associated with lowered odds of crime arrests. Future research should explore whether causal factors and/or third variable factors (e.g. personality, political orientation) underlie the relationship between classic psychedelic use and reduced criminal behavior.

Unlocked with Blossom Pro

Research Summary of 'Psilocybin use is associated with lowered odds of crime arrests in US adults: A replication and extension'

Editorial

βBlossom's Take

This replication is useful because it checks a striking social-outcome claim against a large, nationally representative dataset rather than a small convenience sample. The associations are not causal, but the paper usefully widens the conversation beyond symptom relief and keeps the criminal-justice reading tied to epidemiology rather than inference.

Psilocybin use was linked to lower odds of several arrest outcomes in US adults

Sourced

How did lifetime classic psychedelic use relate to past-year arrest odds in a nationally representative US survey?

211,549
NSDUH respondents, 2015 to 2019: 7 of 11
arrest outcomes linked to lower odds with lifetime psilocybin use: 0.30 to 0.73
adjusted odds ratio range for psilocybin associations: 0.30
lowest reported adjusted odds ratio, motor vehicle theft with peyote

Cross-sectional observational analysis of nationally representative survey data, not a causal study. The figures here report associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and past-year arrest outcomes, not proof that psychedelic use reduced crime arrests.