A new study published in the peer reviewed journal Discover Mental Health highlights the potential of psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, as a treatment option for tobacco use disorder.
Conducted by a team of researchers from Hanze University of Applied Sciences, the University Medical Center Groningen, the University of Groningen, and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, all in the Netherlands, the systematic review explores emerging research in this area.
“Despite considerable efforts, tobacco use disorder persists as a significant public health issue”, notes the study’s abstract. “The effectiveness of current smoking cessation therapies is limited, leading to a growing interest in alternative treatment approaches such as psychedelics.”
With that in mind, the “aim of this review is to evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the role of psychedelics in smoking cessation.”
To identify relevant literature on psychedelics and smoking cessation, a search was conducted in four academic literature databases PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase. Databases were searched from their inception up to March 24, 2024.
“Out of the 1073 articles identified in databases, 8 publications (both clinical and non-clinical studies) met the inclusion criteria, of which a total of 4 publications originated from a single study”, states the study. “The majority of the studies focused on psilocybin (n = 7), for which supportive evidence was suggested for the treatment of tobacco use disorder.”
Additionally, “research was conducted with other psychedelics for smoking cessation, such as ayahuasca, mescaline, peyote, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), lysergic acid amide (LSA) and (dimethyltryptamine (DMT), but the evidence base for these psychedelics is too small to draw definitive conclusions.”
Researchers conclude by stating:
There is, although limited, evidence that psychedelics, in particular psilocybin, may offer a potential avenue for combating tobacco use disorder, though more research is needed to understand their effectiveness and safety fully.
