Psychedelic use in Poland: prevalence, correlates and social attitudes

Purpose:
Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in research exploring the therapeutic potential of classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in the treatment of mental disorders. However, our knowledge of the epidemio­logy of their use, factors associated with their recreational consumption, and attitudes toward these substances remains limited.

Methods:
A representative sample of Polish adults (N = 1051) completed an internet-based survey that included demographic questions, assessments of psychedelic substance use, including motivations and contexts, subjective evaluations of psychedelics expe­rience, and attitudes towards psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT).

Results:
Between 4% and 8% of Polish adults, equivalent to approximately 2 million people, have experimented with psychedelic substances at least once in their lives. Men were more likely to use psychedelics than women, with the largest group of users being individuals aged 25-34, primarily residing in urban areas. Curiosity emerged as the most common motivation for use, and home was typically reported as the context. The psychedelic experience was often described as a mixture of pleasant and unpleasant sensations. A substantial proportion of participants expressed indifferent or negative attitudes towards both PAT and psychedelics. However, prior psychedelic use, younger age, and a history of lifetime meditation practice were associated with more positive attitudes.

Conclusions:
Approximately 6% of Polish adults, mostly young men living in urban areas, reported using classic psychedelics, particularly LSD and psilocybin mushrooms. Further research and educational efforts are needed to support the scientific exploration of PAT, and to help shift public perceptions of its therapeutic potential.