Psilocybin mushrooms are considered one of the most well-known psychedelics, but according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which conducts the largest annual national survey on drug use, their use is not at all common.
Psychedelic use is so low that several drugs are grouped under the category of “hallucinogens,” which includes LSD, peyote, mescaline, psilocybin mushrooms, and “Ecstasy” or “Molly” (MDMA).
In each year between 2002 and 2014, an annual average of 0.1% of people across all ages were considered to be current psychedelic users (meaning they reported use within 30 days of completing the survey). In 2014, 0.3% of the 16,875 adolescent respondents (12 to 17 year-olds) in the US were considered to be current users of psychedelics, 0.3% of the 11,643 young adult respondents (18 to 25), and 0.1% of 33,750 adult respondents aged 26 or older.
However, from 2004–2005 (the last year data for this specific question were available), around half of the people who reported trying a psychedelic for the first time used psilocybin mushrooms (out of approximately 67,000 respondents).
Data from people reporting lifetime use of psychedelics shows similar rates across most age ranges, meaning just as many young adults in the 21st century have used psychedelics as older adults who lived through the 1960s and 70s.