Story perspectives

Psilocybin Linked to Fewer Arrests; Other Psychedelics Raise Crime Risk

5/17/2026

Summary

Norris Study Links Psychedelics

Researchers led by Jesse J. Norris of SUNY Fredonia published a study using 2014-2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data from 544,740 U.S. residents.
Psilocybin use linked to lower odds of assault, robbery, theft and fraud arrests, while DMT, 5-MeO-DiPT, cannabis, PCP and GHB were associated with higher crime odds.
Protective psychedelic effects disappeared for respondents under 18 and for African-American participants, indicating a social factor.

Summary

Norris Targets PCP

Jesse J. Norris proposes targeted interventions for recent PCP users to curb serious violent offenses.
He says PCP use, though rare, raises murder, rape or aggravated assault arrest odds by over tenfold.
Norris warns that women who used GHB show over 100-times higher sex-offense arrest odds, a figure that may be inflated by the small sample.
He notes the research cannot prove causation and urges further study before policy changes.

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Norris Study Links Psychedelics

Researchers led by Jesse J. Norris of SUNY Fredonia published a study using 2014-2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data from 544,740 U.S. residents.
Psilocybin use linked to lower odds of assault, robbery, theft and fraud arrests, while DMT, 5-MeO-DiPT, cannabis, PCP and GHB were associated with higher crime odds.
Protective psychedelic effects disappeared for respondents under 18 and for African-American participants, indicating a social factor.

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