But one of the biggest takeaways from the survey is just how common it is for people who use psychedelics to microdose—to take a very small amount without intending to alter their state of consciousness.

• Roughly 10 million adults reported microdosing psilocybin, LSD, or MDMA in 2025.
• Among those who used psilocybin in the past year, 69 percent microdosed at least once.
• The total number of days that U.S. adults used psilocybin in 2025 exceeded 200 million. Nearly half of those days involved microdosing.

“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 RAND's Michelle Priest, lead author of the report. “Our findings suggest that for those who use psychedelics, taking small doses is a big deal.”

As more states and cities debate potential changes to their policies on psychedelics, these insights offer a clearer picture of how Americans are using these substances.

• China’s birth rate just hit a record low. In a new episode of Policy Minded, RAND’s Mark Cozad discusses how this could affect the country’s military power.
• A new RAND report analyzes global LLM adoption patterns, focusing on the competitive dynamics between the United States and China.
• Applications are open for the inaugural RAND/DARPA Geoeconomics Summer Study in Washington, D.C. The program is open to undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students.