CME | Magic, Microdosing, and Moral Panic: A Primary Care Look at Substances with Abuse Potential

In this episode of CME on the Go, our hosts discuss the integration of psychedelic substances like ketamine, psilocybin, iboga, and various social stimulants into treatment practices. The conversation delves into the therapeutic potential and risks associated with these substances, particularly for treatment-resistant conditions like depression and opioid addiction. The hosts emphasize the importance of setting, intention, and evidence-based practice while navigating the emerging landscape of psychedelics in medicine.

Learning Objectives

1. Examine the emerging evidence on therapeutic uses and risks of substances like psilocybin, ketamine, and other quasi-illicit drugs, while recognizing historical and cultural influences on their stigma.

1. Discuss strategies for counseling patients about the actual versus perceived risks of these substances, including legal, safety, and harm reduction considerations.

1. Recognize the impact of regional attitudes and biases on clinician-patient conversations around quasi-illicit substances and develop approaches to foster open, nonjudgmental dialogue.

The AAFP has reviewed Magic, Microdosing, and Moral Panic: A Primary Care Look at Substances with Abuse Potential and deemed it acceptable for up to 0.50 Enduring Materials, Self-Study AAFP Prescribed credits. Term of Approval is from 02/16/2026 to 6/4/2027. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The AAFP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Academy of Family Physicians designates this Enduring Materials for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CME activities approved for AAFP credit are recognized by the AOA as equivalent to AOA Category 2 credit.

After listening to the podcast episode, claim 0.5 AAFP credit by following the provided link.

https://www.aafp.org/assessment/take/19664/e

References and Resources

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Health Sciences Policy; Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders; Stroud C, Posey Norris SM, Matney C, et al., editors. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2022 Sep 1.

• Penn A, Yehuda R. Preventing the Gaps in Psychedelic Research from Becoming Practice Pitfalls: A Translational Research Agenda. Psychedelic Med (New Rochelle). 2023;1(4):198-209. Published 2023 Dec 13. doi:10.1089/psymed.2023.0017

• Pollan, Michael. How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. Penguin Press, 2018.

• Smausz R, Neill J, Gigg J. Neural mechanisms underlying psilocybin's therapeutic potential - the need for preclinical in vivo electrophysiology. J Psychopharmacol. 2022;36(7):781-793. doi:10.1177/02698811221092508

• Adeyinka D, Forsyth D, Currie S, Faraone N. Neurobiology of psilocybin: a comprehensive overview and comparative analysis of experimental models. Front Syst Neurosci. 2025;19:1585367. Published 2025 Aug 5. doi:10.3389/fnsys.2025.1585367

• Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R. Griffiths, Peter S. Hendricks, Jack E. Henningfield. The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act. Neuropharmacology,Volume 142,2018,Pages 143-166,ISSN 0028-3908, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.05.012.

• Shah K, Trivedi C, Kamrai D, Akbar M, Tankersley W. Association of Psilocybin Use in Adolescents with Major Depressive Episode. Eur Psychiatry. 2022;65(Suppl 1):S329. Published 2022 Sep 1. doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.837

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9010394/

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-023-01629-w

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37732856/

• https://aafp.libsyn.com/cme-psychedelics-and-mental-health-a-new-frontier-for-medicine

Disclosure: It is the policy of the AAFP that all individuals in a position to control content disclose any relationships with commercial interests upon nomination/invitation of participation. Disclosure documents are reviewed for potential conflicts of interest and, if identified, conflicts are resolved prior to confirmation of participation. Only those participants who had no conflict of interest or who agreed to an identified resolution process prior to their participation were involved in this CME activity.  All individuals in a position to control content for this session have indicated they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 

Disclaimer: Copyright 2025. AAFP. The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker's own and do not represent those of AAFP.  The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice.  AAFP makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information and is not responsible for results that may arise from its use.  Consult an appropriate professional concerning your specific situation and respective governing bodies for applicable laws. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by AAFP unless specifically stated otherwise. AAFP and the AAFP logo are registered trademarks of American Academy of Family Physicians.