Psilocybin poison center calls spiked after decriminalization, especially among teens and young adults (study finds)

Psilocybin or "magic mushrooms" exposure calls to US poison centers rose sharply after decriminalization efforts began in parts of the country. Using anonymized National Poison Data System records, researchers reported that psilocybin-related calls more than tripled among adolescents ages 13-19 (152 to 464) and more than doubled among young adults ages 20-25 (125 to 294) between 2018 and 2022, after several cities and states started decriminalizing possession, use, and cultivation. For ages 13-19 and 20-25, most calls reflected intentional use, and roughly three-quarters of youths and young adults needed some medical attention. Reported effects included hallucinations or delusions, agitation, abnormally fast heart rate, and confusion, with concern that limited data and the risk of "bad trips" could be especially harmful for developing brains even though use is banned for ages 21 and under.