Psychedelics, Schizophrenia, and Sensational Headlines: What the Research Actually Says

Recent headlines have proclaimed alarming connections between psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), leaving readers with a sense of unease about the rising popularity of these substances. But are these reports accurately reflecting the findings of the study they’re citing? Let’s unpack the research and what it actually tells us.

The Study: Risks of Schizophrenia in ED Patients Using Hallucinogens

A new population-based study published in JAMA Psychiatry examines whether individuals who visit emergency departments (EDs) for hallucinogen-related issues have a higher risk of developing SSD compared to the general population. The study analyzed data from 9.2 million people in Ontario, Canada, over a 13-year period (2008–2021). Among these, 5,217 individuals had an ED visit involving hallucinogens.

Key findings include:

• Individuals with hallucinogen-related ED visits had a 3.99% chance of developing SSD within three years, compared to 0.15% in the general population.
• After adjusting for demographic and health factors, individuals with hallucinogen-related ED visits were 3.5 times more likely to develop SSD than the general population.
• The risk of SSD after hallucinogen-related ED visits was higher compared to ED visits for alcohol (4.7-fold) and cannabis…