June 18, 2025
Travelers are heading to legalized states for psychedelic treatments and Colorado is a top destination for psychedelic tourism. These are the findings of a recent study by researchers at Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety. Their data show that psychedelic tourism is on the rise and the increase in this type of travel has important implications for the state of Colorado.
To better understand this phenomenon, Rocky Mountain researchers conducted the National Survey Investigating Hallucinogen Trends (NSIHT), the largest and most rigorous ongoing cross-sectional survey of adults currently using psychedelics in the U.S. This study analyzed data from the survey launch from April to June 2024 and included 2,124 respondents across all 50 states. The survey asked individuals whether they used psychedelic drugs in the last 12 months and if they traveled outside their home state to do so.
The study revealed that out of 2,124 respondents who used psychedelic drugs in the preceding 12 months, 32.3% (n=687) traveled specifically to use these substances. Among the travelers, 42.9% traveled to Colorado, 28.9% traveled to Oregon and 38.5% traveled internationally.
Compared to non-travelers, travelers were more likely to have current anxiety or depression symptoms. Though travelers used psychedelics for fun/enjoyment (32.8%) most commonly, they were more likely to use it for treatment of medical symptoms (23.4% vs 17.5%) and to use in psychedelic/healing centers (38.9% vs 11.9%) or ceremonial site (43.1% vs 13.0%) compared to non-travelers.
"Our study demonstrates that people are traveling specifically to use psychedelics and travelers are more likely to have medical conditions that they hope to treat. The public health impact of this travel, which could result in both medical benefit and unexpected harms, should be assessed," said Andrew A. Monte MD, PhD, Associate Director, Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety and Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology.
These findings have significant implications for Colorado, highlighting both the therapeutic demand and public health opportunities associated with psychedelic tourism including:
- Therapeutic motivation: People travel to Colorado for psychedelic use for both enjoyment and to treat medical conditions, extending the benefits to residents of other states.
- Economic benefits: Colorado is capturing significant economic value as a top destination for psychedelic tourism.
- Safety considerations: Travelers use in supervised environments, a trend likely to grow with more access to regulated settings.
- Access to support services: Aftercare and integration services are crucial for both travelers and non-travelers, plans for follow-up travels will be important to maximize benefit and minimize preventable harm.
Drs. Monte and Kari Rockhill, PhD, MPH, assistant statistical scientist, presented the findings at the Psychedelics Science 2025 Conference. The study will be published in an upcoming issue of The Annals of Emergency Medicine.
