Psilocybin-facilitated Smoking Cessation Treatment: A Pilot Study

The investigators propose to examine psilocybin administration combined with a structured smoking cessation treatment program in nicotine dependent individuals in order to provide preliminary data on the efficacy of this combined treatment for smoking cessation.

Topic Addiction Smoking
Compound Psilocybin
Country United States of America
Visit trial

Trial Details



Trial Number

Sponsors & Collaborators

Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Medicine) is host to the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, which is one of the leading research institutes into psychedelics. The center is led by Roland Griffiths and Matthew Johnson.

Beckley Foundation
The Beckley Foundation is one of the leading voices that has spurred the scientific renaissance of psychedelics research. Led by Amanda Fielding, the NGO funds research and engages with politicians.

Heffter Research Institute
The Heffter Research Institute has been advancing psychedelics (psilocybin) as medicines since 1993.

Papers

Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts
This long-term, qualitative follow-up study (n=12) dissects the factors that lead to long-term smoking cessation. Vivid insights, rapport with the study team, and good preparation were some factors that led to this effect.

Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction
This is the first study to use psilocybin and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in concert for smoking cessation in an open-label format. Participants received a moderate (20 mg/70kg) and high (30 mg/70kg) of psilocybin with a 15-week smoking cessation protocol. At the six-month follow-up, 80% of participants were smoking-free.

Long-term follow-up of psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation
This follow-up study (n=15) found that at 12 months 67% of participants didn't return to smoking (biologically confirmed). This was 60% at an average of 30-month follow-up. This study is the first (very positive) step in seeing if psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAT) may be viable for people to quit smoking.

Data attribution

A large set of the trials in our database are sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (CTG). We have modified these post to display the information in a more clear format or to correct spelling mistakes. Our database in actively updated and may show a different status (e.g. completed) if we have knowledge of this update (e.g. a published paper on the study) which isn't reflected yet on CTG. If a trial is not sourced from CTG, this is indicated on this page and you can follow the link to the alternative source of information.