Long-term follow-up of psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation

A follow-up of a small pilot study found that two to three moderate to high doses of psilocybin (20 and 30 mg/70 kg) combined with cognitive behavioral therapy for smoking cessation led to high long-term abstinence rates. At 12 months, 10 of 15 participants (67%) were confirmed abstinent; at a longer follow-up averaging 30 months, 9 participants (60%) remained abstinent. Most participants rated the psilocybin experiences among the five most personally meaningful and spiritually significant events of their lives. The results suggest psilocybin, within a structured treatment program, holds promise for promoting long-term smoking abstinence and warrants further research.

Study at a glance

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A recent open-label pilot study (N = 15) found that two to three moderate to high doses (20 and 30 mg/70 kg) of the serotonin 2A receptor agonist, psilocybin, in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for smoking cessation, resulted in substantially higher 6-month smoking abstinence rates than are typically observed with other medications or CBT alone. OBJECTIVES: To assess long-term effects of a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation program at ≥12 months after psilocybin administration. METHODS: The present report describes biologically verified smoking abstinence outcomes of the previous pilot study at ≥12 months, and related data on subjective effects of psilocybin. RESULTS: All 15 participants completed a 12-month follow-up, and 12 (80%) returned for a long-term (≥16 months) follow-up, with a mean interval of 30 months (range = 16-57 months) between target-quit date (i.e., first psilocybin session) and long-term follow-up. At 12-month follow-up, 10 participants (67%) were confirmed as smoking abstinent. At long-term follow-up, nine participants (60%) were confirmed as smoking abstinent. At 12-month follow-up 13 participants (86.7%) rated their psilocybin experiences among the five most personally meaningful and spiritually significant experiences of their lives. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in the context of a structured treatment program, psilocybin holds considerable promise in promoting long-term smoking abstinence. The present study adds to recent and historical evidence suggesting high success rates when using classic psychedelics in the treatment of addiction. Further research investigating psilocybin-facilitated treatment of substance use disorders is warranted.