Psychedelic Mushroom Seizures Rise in U.S. as Demand Grows

Psychoactive mushrooms, illegal under federal law, are growing in popularity as therapeutic tools. Some experts worry that the market is growing faster than research.

Seizures of psychedelic mushrooms across the country by law enforcement have significantly increased these recent years as attitudes about their use have become more permissive, according to a government-funded study released Tuesday.

Researchers found that the strengths of order confiscated 844 kilos of mushrooms containing psilocybin in 2022, an increase of 273 percent from 2017. Psilocybin is the psychoactive component of mushrooms commonly known as magic mushrooms.

Officials at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which commissioned the study, said the increase in magic mushroom seizures reflects growing use of these drugs, rather than an indication that drug enforcement authorities are tracking these substances more aggressively than before.

The market for magic mushrooms, which are illegal under the law federal government, has grown in recent years, with several clinical studies showing that they can be effective as therapies to treat depression and other serious illnesses. But many medical professionals worry that the hype around psychedelics has evolved faster than the science.

Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the N.I.D.A., said preliminary clinical studies have shown that psychedelics could one day become an important tool for treating psychiatric disorders, including addiction to other drugs. But she said she worries that many people are self-medicating with psychedelics.

“Psychedelic drugs have been touted as a potential cure for many health problems without adequate research to support them. claims,” Dr. Volkow said. “There are people who desperately need mental health care, and there are companies who are very eager to make money by marketing substances as treatments or cures.”

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