Researchers from the University of California San Diego found cannabis is the most commonly microdosed substance in the U.S., according to a study published May 4 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The study analyzed data from a survey of 1,525 U.S. adults conducted in 2023 through the Ipsos KnowledgePanel.
Microdosing typically involves consuming about one-fifth to one-twentieth of a typical recreational dose to avoid strong psychoactive effects while potentially experiencing subtler benefits such as improved mood, reduced anxiety or enhanced creativity.
Researchers emphasized the known health effects of microdosing are limited.
Here are three things to know:
- About 9.4% of U.S. adults, an estimated 24.1 million people, reported microdosing cannabis at least once in their lifetime. That compared with 5.3% for psilocybin, 4.8% for LSD and 2.2% for MDMA.
- Roughly 3.3% of adults reported currently microdosing cannabis, compared with about 1.0% for psilocybin, 0.6% for LSD and 0.3% for MDMA.
- Cannabis microdosing was more common among adults reporting poorer mental health. About 21% of adults who rated their mental health as “poor” reported cannabis microdosing, compared with about 8% among those reporting “excellent” mental health.
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