Psychedelics Could Play A Role In Tackling The Opioid Epidemic

Public health officials are calling the opioid crisis the worst drug epidemic in American history. Overdoses claimed more than 33,000 lives in 2015, and these numbers are steadily on the rise. It’s estimated that over 2 million people in the U.S. are addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers, with many more using the drugs illegally. Potential solutions to the rapidly escalating opioid crisis have been few and far between. But a long-demonized class of illegal drugs may provide one unlikely approach to tackling widespread opiate abuse and addiction. A new study, published last week in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found that experience with psychedelics was linked with decreased opioid abuse and addiction ― an effect that appears to be unique to hallucinogens and marijuana. Conversely, use of other illegal drugs such as cocaine was associated with an increased risk of opioid abuse and dependence. The findings underscore the positive psychological effects increasingly known to be associated with psychedelic experiences. Previous findings have linked psychedelic use with reduced psychological distress and a decreased risk of suicide, while a 2011 Johns Hopkins study showed a single trip on psilocybin (aka “magic mushrooms”) resulted in lasting positive personality changes such as increases in openness to experience, a trait associated with creativity and open-mindedness. An Intriguing Connection Studies have shown drugs like LSD and psilocybin...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news