RIB-Rise in Halluc

ENT OF M JU U.S. Department of Justice T S R T A I P C E E D B O J C S Office of Justice Programs F A V M F O I N A C I J S R E BJ G O OJJ DP O F PR National Institute of Justice JUSTICE National Institute of Justice R e s e a r c h i n B r i e f Jeremy Travis, Director October 1997 Issues and Findings Rise of Hallucinogen Use Discussed in this Brief: The history of hallucinogen use in the United by Dana Hunt States, a comparison of past and present user groups, and the im- In the public imagination, few periods in ing as the U.S. Naval Academy1 highlight pact of today’s use and distribution history have been so linked to a type of the return of these drugs among student patterns on law enforcement and public health and safety. drug as the 1960s were to psychedelics, populations. In addition to familiar hallu- or hallucinogens. Widespread experimen- cinogens, newer compounds have surfaced Key issues: Psychedelic drugs fig- tation with drugs such as LSD, peyote, (see “Drugs Classified as Hallucinogens ured prominently in the hippie cul- and psilocybin (“magic mushrooms”) in- or Psychedelics”). ture of the 1960s and 1970s, but fluenced many aspects of American pop their popularity declined during the culture—clothing, music, art, and lan- This Research in Brief traces the histori- 1980s. Recent studies reveal that cal use of hallucinogens in the United hallucinogen use is on the rise in the guage. Many people discussed but few States and discusses the implications— 1990s, particularly among young followed Timothy Leary’s advice to “tune adults of the same socioeconomic in and turn on.” Americans nevertheless in terms of law enforcement and public class as those who embraced these tried psychedelic drugs at an unprec- safety—of their current popularity among substances in previous decades. edented rate. According to the first Na- youths and young adults. To conduct the While current hallucinogen users tional Household Survey on Drug Abuse analysis for the study summarized here, seem to have little involvement in (NHSDA) in 1972, 5 percent of Americans, researchers from Abt Associates Inc. re- criminal activities, their drug-taking almost all of them under the age of 18, had lied on national survey data and two tele- behavior places them at risk of used psychedelics at least once; by 1979 phone surveys conducted specifically for harming themselves or others. lifetime prevalence was reported as 25 this report (see “Data Sources”). Key findings: Five sources were percent among young adults ages 18–25. used to study the resurgence of Recent history of hallucinogen use hallucinogen use in this country. In the mid-1980s the use of psychedelics Data from these sources indicate that: dramatically declined as cocaine became Hallucinogens are not new. Many naturally occurring substances such as peyote, • Hallucinogens are relatively inex- the drug of choice. Law enforcement sei- psilocybin, or mescaline have long been pensive, domestically produced, and zures of LSD and other hallucinogens used in cultural and religious contexts, not part of a network of distributors dropped precipitously, as did emergency battling over markets or territory. room reports of adverse effects of halluci- and LSD was synthesized in Europe in the nogen use. However, by the early 1990s, late 1930s. However, until the 1950s, • Between 1991 and 1996, the when psychiatric researchers investigated percentage of Americans who interest in hallucinogens seemed to resur- the possible therapeutic value of LSD, rec- had used psychedelics at least face among users whose demographic ognition that certain drugs had hallucino- once in their lives grew from 6 to profile was similar to that of users in the 14 percent. 1960s—young men and women, often genic properties was very limited. • The percentage of high school middle class, who typically declined to LSD did not receive popular attention until seniors who believe that trying LSD use heroin or cocaine. Reports of LSD the early 1960s when the late Timothy or using it regularly is a “great risk” use and distribution at places as surpris- Leary and Richard Alpert, his colleague continued… R e s e a r c h i n B r i e f Issues and Findings at Harvard University, began experimenting preparation of hallucinogens through continued… with the drug on themselves, other aca- popular publications of the era. demics, local artists, and students. Leary has declined significantly. Between How many people actually used halluci- 1991 and 1996, the percentage of was dismissed from Harvard for promot- ing LSD, but he continued to advocate its nogens during the 1960s and 1970s? In seniors who said they disapproved 1974, 17 percent of all Americans re- of LSD use even once or twice fell use as a positive mind-altering experi- ported they had used a hallucinogen in from 90 to 80 percent. ence and identified psychedelics as part of a countercultural or lifestyle choice. their lifetime. According to NHSDA, life- • Thirty-four percent of college and time prevalence among the young adult university officials reported that hallu- Although nonmedical use of LSD continued to rise throughout the 1960s, scientific population rose to 20 percent in 1977 cinogen use, particularly of LSD and and 25 percent by 1979. psilocybin, is increasing on their cam- interest declined. In 1974 the National puses. Campus sources identified hal- Institute of Mental Health concluded that During the same period, other surveys made 2 lucinogen users today as mainstream LSD had no therapeutic use. similar findings. In 1975 the Monitoring students, not the more marginal or the Future (MTF) study reported that 16 “hippie” students of the 1960s. Pri- The interest in LSD during the 1960s vate and public campuses are equally also prompted users to seek out naturally percent of high school seniors across the likely to report hallucinogen use; re- occurring substances that produced the country had used hallucinogens at some ligious schools are most likely to re- same experiential effects. In fact, a vari- point. A 1980 survey of New York State port little or no use. Larger campuses ety of substances in nature produce tran- high school students showed that, by age 3 and institutions in urban areas report sitory visual or auditory distortion, e.g., 18, 25 percent had used hallucinogens. the widest range of drug use. cannabis, thornapple, peyote, and jim- These figures represented a remarkable • The rise in hallucinogen use co- sonweed. One of the oldest hallucinogens rise in the use of drugs that less than 15 incided with the growth of “raves,” known to Western scientists is mescaline, years earlier had been virtually unknown. underground dance parties that ca- a derivative of the peyote cactus, used for ter to those under age 21. centuries in natural medicines and reli- Who is using hallucinogens now? • Systemic violence associated with gious ceremonies. Substances such as Until the late 1980s and early 1990s, the trafficking of heroin and cocaine peyote, mescaline, and a variety of exotic hallucinogens appeared to be out of has not been found with hallucino- fungi (e.g., psilocybin mushrooms) can be vogue as the generation of original users gen trafficking. The Drug Enforce- smoked, brewed in tea, chewed, and in- ment Administration reports that a aged. By 1982, 6 percent of adults over corporated into food. In the 1960s users 26 years old reported that they had used relatively small number of producers exchanged and published recipes for and distributors located in Northern hallucinogens at least once, but fewer California have controlled the LSD market for a number of years. Exhibit 1: Use of Hallucinogens by High School Seniors • Repeated doses of hallucinogens or ingestion of multiple substances 20 can produce highly adverse effects, Lifetime Use Prior 12 Months including death. In addition, the auditory and visual distortion resulting 15 from hallucinogen ingestion can last for 10 to 12 hours, thus endanger- ing a user who drives, his or her pas- 10 sengers, pedestrians, and the occupants of other cars in proximity. 5 Target audience: Drug enforcement and drug treatment practitioners, college and university officials, high Who Reported Use Percentage 0 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 school administrators, public health officials, drug policy coordinators, Source: Monitoring the Future Study, University of Michigan. and researchers. 2 R e s e a r c h i n B r i e f than 1 percent reported use in the year (1975) of the survey produced the rise in the use of any hallucinogens is prior year.4 In 1992, however, drug highest lifetime use (16 percent), fol- also apparent. ethnographers reporting to Pulse Check lowed by a gradual decline that contin- began noticing increased availability ued until the end of the 1980s. In Data from a 1992 Dade County, Florida, of hallucinogens in many areas of the 1991 the percentage reporting lifetime survey showed an even higher level country. At the same time, researchers use again began to rise, reaching 11 of use among high school and college studying the emerging music and percent in 1993, 13 percent in 1995, students. The Dade County student dance phenomena known as “raves” and 14 percent in 1996. Use in the survey indicated that 17 percent of found LSD, MDMA, ketamine, and prior 12-month period also declined high school seniors reported using 2C–B playing a significant part in throughout the 1980s, reached a low of LSD at least once, a figure almost five these activities.5 6 percent in 1985, then rose to 8 per- times the 1991 level and considerably cent in 1993 and 1994, 9 percent in higher than the level reported in the 6 National survey data supported this 1995, and 10 percent in 1996.

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