A growing number of Americans are experimenting with a different kind of drug use. The goal is not to get high or lose control, but to simply feel something subtle.

It’s called microdosing, and for years the conversation has mostly focused on psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin mushrooms.

Stories about sharper focus, calmer moods, and bursts of creativity have flooded podcasts, online forums, and social media. Some people swear by it, while others remain skeptical.

But a new national study suggests that cannabis, not psychedelics, appears to be the substance most Americans are microdosing by a wide margin.

The typical microdose amounts to between one-fifth and one-twentieth of a regular recreational dose.

This is done with the aim of avoiding psychoactive effects but still experiencing possible benefits such as lower levels of anxiety, improved mood, or an elevated state of mind.

As fars as psychedelic drugs go, the concept has been closely associated with wellness culture and productivity trends.

Silicon Valley workers, artists, and individuals suffering from depression have been at the forefront of popularizing this subject.

What stood out in this study was how different reality looked compared to the popular image.

Dr. Kevin Yang is a resident physician in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine and first author of the study.

“Microdosing is often discussed in the context of psychedelics like psilocybin or LSD, but what surprised us most was that cannabis microdosing was almost twice as common,” said Dr. Yang.

“That suggests conversations about microdosing may be overlooking a large group of people who are using small amounts of cannabis in similar ways.”

Researchers analyzed survey data from 1,525 U.S. adults gathered in late 2023 through the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a probability-based survey designed to reflect the U.S. population.

The numbers were striking. About 9.4% of U.S. adults said they had tried microdosing cannabis at least once. Researchers estimate that works out to roughly 24.1 million people.

The rates for psychedelics were noticeably lower. About 5.3% reported microdosing psilocybin mushrooms, 4.8% reported LSD, and 2.2% reported MDMA, also known as ecstasy.

Current use was smaller but still significant. Around 3.3% of adults said they currently microdose cannabis.

For psilocybin, the rate was about one percent, while LSD and MDMA microdosing fell below one percent.

The findings suggest many people may not even think of themselves as “microdosers” in the trendy psychedelic sense. Some may simply be trying to take the edge off without becoming heavily intoxicated.

Study senior author Dr. Eric Leas is an assistant professor at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science.

“Most proponents of microdosing recommend use under specific protocols that involve taking low doses of LSD or psilocybin for specific health applications,” said Dr. Leas.

“That’s not what we found. Most people are microdosing for recreational purposes. That suggests that many people could think about the concept of ‘microdosing’ more as a way of lowering dosage. They may just want to take less, so they don’t want to get as high.”

The study also uncovered a strong connection between microdosing and mental health.

Across every substance examined, people who reported poorer mental health were more likely to report microdosing. Cannabis showed one of the clearest gaps.

About 21% of adults who described their mental health as “poor” said they had microdosed cannabis, compared to roughly 8% among those reporting “excellent” mental health.

Researchers found cannabis microdosing was more commonly tied to medical reasons, especially anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin were more often linked to recreational use and milder psychoactive experiences.

At the same time, the researchers warned that the science behind microdosing still remains thin.

“There’s a lot of anecdotal enthusiasm around microdosing, especially for mental health,” said Dr. Leas. “But we still need rigorous studies to determine whether these perceived benefits are real, who might benefit and what the potential risks could be.”

Laws around psychedelics have been changing fast across the United States. Some cities and states have eased penalties or decriminalized certain substances, while legal cannabis continues spreading into more parts of the country.

The researchers noticed that psychedelic microdosing was more common in places with more relaxed drug laws.

They believe those policy changes may make these substances easier to access and may also make people more comfortable admitting they use them.

That leaves public health experts trying to keep up with a trend that’s growing quickly.

So far, only a limited number of placebo-controlled studies on microdosing have been completed, and the findings have not been consistent.

Researchers are also concerned about safety. Many people get these substances from unregulated sources, which increases the chances of contaminated products or inaccurate dosing.

The study itself has limits too. Because it captured a single snapshot in time, it cannot prove whether microdosing affects mental health or whether people already struggling with mental health are simply more likely to try it.

“Microdosing appears to be a growing behavior that cuts across different substances and motivations,” noted Dr. Leas.

“Understanding how and why people are using these small doses is essential if we want to develop evidence-based policies and guidance for clinicians and the public.”

The full study was published in the journal American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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