The use of psychedelics is on the rise. The number of people using hallucinogens increased more than a percentage point from 2021 to this year, according to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
That increase comes as researchers explore the medical potential of hallucinogens like psilocybin to treat conditions like depression and PTSD.
But that increase in use can mean an increase in people experiencing negative effects as well.
“More and more folks are showing up [in emergency departments] because they're having things like panic or anxiety or they're having really distressing experiences with a hallucinogen,” said Alan Davis, director of the Ohio State University’s Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education.
Ohio State University is launching a new program to prepare first responders to address those sorts of adverse reactions. It will train 127,000 providers across behavioral health, public safety and social workers to treat people under the influence of psychedelics.
Harm reduction for psychedelics
The first step, Davis said, is knowing a bad trip when you see one.
“[Providers] might start to triage it as things like a psychotic episode or other challenges that aren't really relevant,” he explained.
Davis said it differs significantly from treating a person who uses alcohol or cannabis. People on hallucinogens may experience anxiety around seeing voices or people that aren’t there, for example. Providers need to be equipped to respond in a way that doesn’t increase stress.
“What we want to do is we want to help first responders learn how to bring folks into a calm, stable place so that they can do what it is that needs to be done to get them safe or to get them the medical treatment that they need,” he said.
Making information accessible
The free training will first educate providers on what psychedelics are, the effects they produce and some of the possible complications they can interact with. Then, the course will go through case studies on how to best respond in a crisis.
The program is the first of its kind in the country, Davis said.
“We just want to make sure that we're doing what we can here in Ohio, given that we're at the forefront of leading this research,” he said.
In many states, including Ohio, psilocybin – commonly known as ‘magic mushroom’ – is illegal and is classified federally as a Schedule 1 controlled substance.
But as its use becomes more mainstream, Davis said it’s important that information around the drug is more accessible. In addition to the PEACE program, Ohio State has also recently developed a Certificate in Interdisciplinary Psychedelic Studies.
“Because they're illegal, we don't have a lot of education out there for folks,” he said. “We want people to be equipped with knowledge so that if they choose to do this, they can do it as safely as possible.”
