This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Psychedelic drug use linked to decreased criminal behavior

Zach Walsh

Recent findings indicated lower likelihood of criminal behavior among adults with lifetime classic psychedelic drug use.

“These findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that use of classic psychedelics may have positive effects for reducing antisocial behavior,” study researcher Zach Walsh, PhD, of University of British Columbia, Kelowna, Canada, said in a press release. “They certainly highlight the need for further research into the potentially beneficial effects of these stigmatized substances for both individual and public health.”

To assess associations between classic psychedelic use, psilocybin use and criminal behavior, researchers analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2002 through 2014 for more than 480,000 adults.

Lifetime classic psychedelic use was associated with decreased risk for past-year larceny/theft (adjusted OR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.65-0.83), assault (aOR = 0.88; 95% CI, 0.8-0.97), arrest for a property crime (aOR = 0.78; 95% CI, 0.65-0.95), and arrest for a violent crime (aOR = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.7-0.97).

Conversely, lifetime illicit use of other drugs was largely associated with increased risk for these outcomes, according to researchers.

Lifetime use of classic psychedelics was associated with increased odds for past-year drug distribution.

Findings suggested a protective effect of psilocybin on antisocial criminal behavior.

“The development of innovative and effective interventions to prevent criminal behavior is an obvious priority,” Peter S. Hendricks, PhD, of University of Alabama at Birmingham, said in the release. “Our findings suggest the protective effects of classic psychedelic use are attributable to genuine reductions in antisocial behavior rather than reflecting improved evasion of arrest. Simply put, the positive effects associated with classic psychedelic use appear to be reliable. Given the costs of criminal behavior, the potential represented by this treatment paradigm is significant.” – by Amanda Oldt

Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.