Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco determined in a recent study that Americans are microdosing cannabis more than any other substance, and at nearly twice the rate of psychedelics such as LSD or psilocybin.
The study “suggests that talk of microdosing may be overlooking a large group of people who use small amounts of cannabis in similar ways,” said first author Kevin Yang, MD, a resident physician in the Department of Psychiatry at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
The study used survey results from 1,525 US adults surveyed in 2023 about their microdosing habits. Approximately 9.4% of respondents said they had microdosed cannabis at least once in their lifetime, while 5.3% reported microdosing psilocybin and 4.8% reported microdosing LSD. Additionally, 2.2% reported microdosing MDMA at least once.
The study found that respondents reported microdosing cannabis more often for medical reasons, such as anxiety or chronic pain. Meanwhile, psychedelic microdosing was more often used for recreational purposes by those who wanted a milder experience.
“Microdosing appears to be a growing behavior that affects different substances and motivations. Understanding how and why people are using these small doses is essential if we are to develop evidence-based policies and guidelines for clinicians and the public.” – Eric Leas, PhD, MPH, senior author and assistant professor at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Lifespan Science
