National survey investigating hallucinogenic trends (NSIHT)

The National Institute on Drug Abuse awarded Denver Health and Hospital Authority $634,042 on March 15, 2026, under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) to conduct the National Survey Investigating Hallucinogenic Trends (NSIHT).

Denver Health will measure psychedelic use patterns and associated health outcomes in an enriched user population across the United States, stratified by local policy jurisdiction. The recipient will conduct data collection twice yearly to assess emerging use patterns, control for underlying comorbid disease and symptom burden by county-level policy differences, and generate nationally representative epidemiological data on psychedelic safety and effectiveness. The survey will support three primary research aims: detailed characterization of psychedelic use in the general population, measurement of policy effects on health outcomes using novel epidemiologic transport weighting methodology, and prediction of use patterns and health outcomes in states considering policy changes in coming years.

Place of performance is Denver, Colorado. The period of performance extends through December 31, 2030.

Abstract

The global objective of the national surveillance investigating hallucinogen trends (NSIHT) program is to determine detailed, real-world psychedelic use patterns and health outcomes stratified by local policy. Psychedelic drug use, commonly called hallucinogens, is rapidly increasing in the united states. In 2023, nearly 3% of the US populations used a psychedelic in the past year and 9.2% of people aged 18-24 years old used in oregon and colorado where psilocybin has been legalized and decriminalized, respectively. The FDA is evaluating new psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, and 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) for approval and more than half of US states have active legislation to increase availability of psilocybin for medicinal or recreational use scheduled in 2025. Yet the risk of increased psychedelic use in the general population is unknown. NSIHT will measure the details of psychedelic use and associated health outcomes in an enriched user population across the US (aim 1). We will determine the effect policy has on health outcomes of safety and effectiveness associated with psychedelics using a novel epidemiologic transport weighting method (aim 2). Finally, we will use NSIHT to predict use patterns and associated health outcomes in US states considering policy change in coming years (aim 3). The program collects data twice yearly and is therefore flexible to rapidly assess emerging use patterns, assess county level policy differences while controlling for underlying comorbid disease, symptom burden, and demographics. NSIHT is the first nationally representative tool to assess psychedelic use and outcomes while controlling differences between populations. NSIHT will provide rigorously collected data to users, researchers, public health officials, and policy makers to maximize safety and effectiveness of these drugs.