Trials exploring psilocybin as a treatment for mental health conditions have spawned a proliferation of psychedelic retreats in countries where they are legal, while more people are buying the drug, which is class A in Britain, on the black market.
Office for National Statistics data shows that psilocybin was the only illegal drug that grew in popularity in 2024, increasing by 37.5% to reach 1.1% of 16- to 59-year-olds, representing about 300,000 people and making the drug nearly as popular as ecstasy.
Experts said while clinical trials showed promising results, emerging evidence suggests people who take psilocybin outside these environments can experience harm, including continued visual distortion known as hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD).
Mainstream GPs and therapists lack the knowledge to treat this and occasionally misdiagnose it as psychosis or mania, the experts added.
This story is from the December 26, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 26, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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