US Police Seizures Of Psychedelic Mushrooms Increased In Recent Years, New Study Finds

Psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in "magic mushrooms," has been greatly featured in the media as researchers study its potential clinical applications in numerous trials. On the other hand, two states have undertaken regulated programs for its effective use, and several cities have passed decriminalization measures for a variety of natural psychedelics including these mushrooms. 

Yet at the federal level, psilocybin is still illegal. Researchers at NYU Langone Health, the University of Florida and Columbia University, with support of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, analyzed data on law enforcement seizures of psychedelic mushrooms to better understand their use prevalence.

Published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the study is believed to be the first of its kind to examine trends in psilocybin seizures across the U.S.

What The Numbers Show

The team evaluated data from the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, which was created by Congress to measure and help reduce illegal drug trafficking and production. The analysis of national and state-level trafficking data revealed law enforcement confiscation of magic mushrooms increased by 369% between the first quarter of 2017 and the last quarter of 2022 across the U.S. 

Seizures of psilocybin rose from 402 confiscations in 2017 to 1,396 confiscations in 2022. The seized amount nearly quadrupled, from 226 kilograms to 844 kilograms within the compared time frame.

Most seizures were made in the Midwest (36%), followed by the West (33%). Ohio holds the highest number of seizures, as well as the largest increase in seizures over five years. 

In the total five-year period, the study found officials made 4,526 seizures, equaling 4,380 kilograms of mushrooms

Authors say the findings could signal growing availability and public awareness of this psychedelic, along with potentially heightened risks coming from its recreational and unsupervised use. 

Given "a rapidly shifting legal landscape" coupled with increasing media coverage and "potential for expanded commercialism in an area in which the drug is becoming legal," authors highlight the importance of monitoring psilocybin availability, use and adverse effects to understand the shared exposure as well as to inform prevention and harm reduction efforts.

“Although psilocybin is by no means the most dangerous drug, adverse effects do happen, so heightened prevention efforts and harm-reduction education may be necessary,” said lead study author NYU Langone's Joseph Palamar.

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Law enforcement seizures are not a perfect indicator of the substance availability or use, Palamar added. The fact that a seizure took place in a particular state does not mean that the psilocybin was intended for use in that area.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons