GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The University of Michigan’s Medical School has received a $3.3 million grant to explore how Americans perceive and use psychedelics.
The grant funding was announced last week by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a part of the National Institutes of Health.
What to know about psychedelic retreats, a booming business with few safety guardrails
Watchdog groups have noticed a rise in psychedelic use in recent years because of trends that claim they can help manage mental illnesses. Psychedelics are still a Schedule I substance according to federal law, but some states and cities have instituted policies “decriminalizing” them.
Psychedelics are a class of substances that alter perception and mood and impact several cognitive processes, mostly by affecting the brain’s serotonin receptors. Psilocybin (magic mushrooms), LSD and mescaline are some of the most common ones. Unlike other drugs, many psychedelics are natural and do not lead to addiction…