Low abuse potential, and a case for lighter scheduling
What they did
The authors assessed medically administered psilocybin against the eight abuse-potential factors of the US Controlled Substances Act, drawing on animal self-administration data, epidemiology and clinical trial evidence.
What they found
They reported limited reinforcing effects and a low scope of use and harm compared with prototypical drugs of abuse, and concluded Schedule IV would be appropriate for an approved psilocybin medicine.
Worth knowing
This assesses medically administered psilocybin, not recreational or unsupervised use. The authors explicitly flag risky behaviour in unsupervised settings and worsening of mental illness in vulnerable people.
Johnson et al. The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act. Neuropharmacology, 2018.
Read the sourceKeep reading
adverse eventsNo serious harms in healthy people, some in psychiatric patientsdose responseEffects rose with dose, and most found the experience pleasantharm rankingPsilocybin ranked least harmful of twenty drugs, alcohol mostThe headline finding worth carrying around is that risk concentrates in people with existing psychiatric conditions and in unsupervised settings. If either applies to you, talk to a doctor before you start anything.
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