Millions of U.S. Adults Microdosing Psychedelics
For Release
Wednesday
January 21, 2026
An estimated 10 million U.S. adults microdosed psilocybin, LSD, or MDMA in 2025, according to a new RAND study.
Drawing on a first-of-its-kind survey, researchers found that microdosing, taking a very small dose without the intention of producing an altered state of consciousness, is common among people who use psychedelics. Among adults who used psilocybin in the past year, approximately two-thirds reported microdosing at least once. Of the more than 200 million days of psilocybin use reported in the past year, nearly half involved microdosing.
As policy conversations about psychedelics become more common, understanding the prevalence of microdosing relative to full-dose use has important implications for public health, research, and policy.
“There is an emerging discussion about the effects of microdosing on creativity, well-being, and mental health, but until now little was known about how common it is,” said Michelle Priest, a RAND researcher and lead author of the report. “Our findings suggest that for those who use psychedelics, taking small doses is a big deal.”
Beyond microdosing, the study examined the use of 11 psychedelic substances among U.S. adults. The five most commonly used in 2025 were psilocybin (11 million adults), MDMA (4.7 million), Amanita muscaria mushrooms (3.5 million), ketamine (3.3 million), and LSD (3 million).
“I was not surprised to see psilocybin mushrooms at the top of the list,” said Beau Kilmer, co-director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center and a coauthor of the study. “But I was a bit surprised to see another mushroom, Amanita muscaria, so high on the list.”
The report is the first to publish nationally representative data on past-year use of Amanita muscaria mushrooms. Also known as fly agaric mushrooms, they can produce euphoria and altered perceptions, although their effects are typically different from those of psilocybin mushrooms.
The study is the first in a series of publications based on the 2025 RAND Psychedelics Survey, a probability-based, nationally representative survey of 10,000 U.S. adults designed to collect detailed information about psychedelic substances. It also builds on 2024 RAND research highlighting alternatives to psychedelic drug prohibition. Other authors of the study are Ben Senator and Claude Messan Setodji.
The RAND Education, Employment, and Infrastructure division aims to improve educational opportunity, economic prosperity, and civic life for all. Its analysis offers solutions to strengthen instructional quality in schools, improve the affordability and effectiveness of college and career training, modernize infrastructure, and improve the U.S. justice system.
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