The use of psychedelics is on the rise. The number of people using hallucinogens increased more than a percentage point from 2021 to this year, according to the .
That increase comes as researchers explore the medical potential of hallucinogens like psilocybin to treat conditions like and .
But that increase in use can mean an increase in people experiencing negative effects as well.
鈥淢ore and more folks are showing up [in emergency departments] because they're having things like panic or anxiety or they're having really distressing experiences with a hallucinogen,鈥� said Alan Davis, director of the Ohio State University鈥檚 .
Ohio State University is launching a new program to prepare first responders to address those sorts of adverse reactions. It will train 127,000 providers across behavioral health, public safety and social workers to treat people under the influence of psychedelics.
Harm reduction for psychedelics
The first step, Davis said, is knowing a bad trip when you see one.
鈥淸Providers] might start to triage it as things like a psychotic episode or other challenges that aren't really relevant,鈥� he explained.
Davis said it differs significantly from treating a person who uses alcohol or cannabis. People on hallucinogens may experience anxiety around seeing voices or people that aren鈥檛 there, for example. Providers need to be equipped to respond in a way that doesn鈥檛 increase stress.
鈥淲hat we want to do is we want to help first responders learn how to bring folks into a calm, stable place so that they can do what it is that needs to be done to get them safe or to get them the medical treatment that they need,鈥� he said.
Making information accessible
The free training will first educate providers on what psychedelics are, the effects they produce and some of the possible complications they can interact with. Then, the course will go through case studies on how to best respond in a crisis.
The program is the first of its kind in the country, Davis said.
鈥淲e just want to make sure that we're doing what we can here in Ohio, given that we're at the forefront of leading this research,鈥� he said.
In many states, including Ohio, psilocybin 鈥� commonly known as 鈥榤agic mushroom鈥� 鈥� is illegal and is classified federally as a Schedule 1 controlled substance.
But as its use becomes more mainstream, Davis said it鈥檚 important that information around the drug is more accessible. In addition to the PEACE program, Ohio State has also recently developed a .
鈥�Because they're illegal, we don't have a lot of education out there for folks,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want people to be equipped with knowledge so that if they choose to do this, they can do it as safely as possible.鈥�