Are Psychedelics Effective for Treating Substance Use Disorders?
May 28, 2025 DOI: 10.64239/pi-qt7504
Summary
Current evidence does not support the routine clinical use of psychedelics for substance use disorders. Psilocybin shows moderate quality evidence specifically for alcohol use disorder, but the overall evidence is low and biased due to poor blinding. Only half of the studies were randomized controlled trials, with many being over 50 years old. Ketamine should only be considered as a last resort for patients who have not responded to FDA-approved treatments for alcohol or opioid use disorders.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Evidence is insufficient to support the routine clinical use of psychedelics for substance use disorders. |
|---|
Abstract
Current evidence remains insufficient to support the use of psychedelics for substance use disorders in routine clinical practice. Psilocybin has the most supportive data for alcohol use disorder, though it is of moderate quality. The evidence quality is generally low, with significant risk of bias due to poor blinding. Only half of identified studies were RCTs, with 44% conducted over 50 years ago under less rigorous standards. Consider ketamine only as last resort for patients who failed adequate trials of FDA-approved medications for alcohol/opioid use disorders.