Study Reveals Over Half of Psychedelic Exposures Require Medical Care

Study Reveals Over Half of Psychedelic Exposures Require Medical Care

A new study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine has uncovered that more than half of psychedelic-related cases reported to U.S. poison centres over a decade necessitated medical intervention. Highlighting the risks associated with substance use, the study sheds light on the implications for healthcare and evolving policies in states like Colorado and Oregon. The findings were published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

The analysis of nearly 55,000 cases between 2012 and 2022 revealed that 42% of exposures caused moderate effects requiring medical treatment, while 8% involved severe, life-altering consequences. Tragically, 0.5% resulted in fatalities. Dr Mark Simon, study lead and senior instructor of emergency medicine, explained, “Every person who uses psychedelic substances is different and reacts differently because they alter your perception, mood, and cognition. One person’s desired effect may be another’s undesired effect.”

Around 41% of cases happened when people used other substances at the same time, like prescription medicines, alcohol, or other recreational drugs. This made treating these cases much harder than before. The most common problem was heart-related symptoms, which showed up in 68% of cases.

A significant 62% of cases referred to healthcare facilities required at least one medical therapy, typically sedatives. “The subset of the population we were looking at here was only those that had some reason to seek out medical care,” Simon clarified. “This usually was because of a severe, atypical, or unexpected effect.”

Certain psychedelics, such as ketamine, were found to pose higher risks of respiratory complications, with 6.9% of cases requiring ventilation or intubation. Simon emphasised that grouping all psychedelics together is misleading due to their diverse mechanisms. “Some agents have similarities in their mechanism, but psychedelic substances are a pretty diverse group. Lumping them all together can be problematic.”

The study arrives at a time of rapidly changing laws around psychedelics. States like Colorado and Oregon have decriminalised or even legalised certain natural psychedelics. Denver became the pioneer, decriminalising psilocybin in 2019, with Colorado following suit to decriminalise growth and sale in 2022. Similarly, Oregon legalised psilocybin administration in licensed centres in 2020.

Reflecting on these trends, Simon noted, “We expect [psychedelic use] to continue increasing. We saw even higher increases in states that have legalised and decriminalised psychedelics.” He stressed the importance of research in navigating this shifting legal and social landscape. “This study is just one puzzle piece in a much larger picture of what effects psychedelic substances can have. While clinical trials show great promise for therapeutic use, understanding real-world recreational use is equally important.”

As psychedelics become more popular in everyday life and medicine, the findings show how important it is to have clear policies, strong healthcare plans, and to teach people about the risks and benefits of these substances.

Source: Medical X Press

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