PREVALENCE OF PSILOCYBE CUBENSIS USE IN THAILAND

Abstract

An up-to-date understanding of psychoactive plant use is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate its widespread impact. This descriptive study aimed to estimate the population size of Thai individuals using Psilocybe cubensis (commonly known as "magic mush-rooms") in 2024. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted using a five-stage stratified sampling technique. Thailand was divided into 10 regions, and systematic random sampling was performed at the provincial, sub-district, and community levels. Households were selected systematically based on the most recent updated community maps. Within each selected household, members were stratified by gender and randomly sampled using random number tables. A total of 34,410 individuals participated in the study. Data were collected between March and October 2024 through structured face-to-face interviews. Data analysis employed both descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequency distribution, percentage, odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), point estimation, chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and multiple logistic regression.
The findings indicated that 12,912 Thais aged 12–65 years had used Psilocybe cubensis, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 26.32 per 100,000 populations. The prevalence was higher among males (40.74 per 100,000) compared to females (12.35 per 100,000). Among youth, the prevalence was 6.45 per 100,000, while in adults it was 32.16 per 100,000. A statistically significant association (p < 0.05) was observed between psilocybin mushroom use and concurrent use of other illicit substances. Individuals who used other drugs were 42.8 times more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors associated with psilocybin use (AOR = 42.817, 95% CI = 16.508–111.055, p < 0.001).