The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
July 21, 2016
Matthew W. Johnson, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Roland R. Griffiths
702 citations
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.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 1, 1992
John H. Krystal, Lawrence H. Price, Charles Opsahl et al.
171 citations
Chronic use of MDMA (ecstasy) is associated with mild-to-moderate impairments in memory, as measured by the Wechsler Memory Scale, even when no memory deficits are apparent on clinical examination. In a study of nine individuals with extensive MDMA use, eight showed at least mild impairment on one or more neuropsychological tests. Despite previous evidence suggesting serotonin deficits in this group, none reported depressed mood or met criteria for an affective disorder at the time of testing. These findings raise concern about potential detrimental effects of MDMA on cognitive function and highlight important issues regarding serotonin's role in cognition and mood regulation.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 1, 2018
Thomas Kingsley Brown, Kenneth Alper
156 citations
Ibogaine, a plant alkaloid, was associated with reduced opioid withdrawal symptoms and drug use in 30 people dependent on heroin or prescription opioids who had not benefited from other treatments. Withdrawal scores dropped from 31 to 14 within about three days. One month after treatment, half of the subjects reported no opioid use in the previous 30 days. Improvements in drug use, legal, and family or social problems were sustained for up to 12 months, though the strongest effect on drug use was at one month. These findings suggest ibogaine may offer a new model for addiction pharmacotherapy.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 1, 2018
Geoffrey E Noller, Chris M Frampton, Berra Yazar-Klosinski
150 citations
A single ibogaine treatment reduced opioid withdrawal symptoms and led to opioid cessation or sustained reduced use over 12 months in dependent individuals. Among 14 participants (50% female) receiving legal ibogaine treatment in New Zealand, addiction severity scores dropped significantly from baseline to 12-month follow-up for the 8 who completed all interviews. Depression scores also significantly decreased. Opioid withdrawal symptoms fell acutely after treatment for all 14 participants. One patient died during treatment. Legal availability in New Zealand may improve outcomes by allowing treatment providers to collaborate with other health professionals.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 1, 2019
Alan K. Davis, Sara So, Rafael Lancelotta et al.
141 citations
Among people who used 5-MeO-DMT in a structured group setting with guided dosing and support, 80% of those previously diagnosed with depression and 79% of those previously diagnosed with anxiety reported their condition improved after use. Only 3% with depression and 2% with anxiety said their condition worsened. Greater improvement was linked to more intense mystical experiences and higher ratings of the experience's spiritual significance and personal meaning, but not to the intensity of challenging physical or psychological effects. The findings suggest potential therapeutic benefits, warranting controlled clinical trials.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 1, 1993
Robert S. Gable
105 citations
A review of 20 abused psychoactive substances compared their dependence potential and acute toxicity. The margin of safety, or therapeutic index, varied dramatically across substances. Intravenous heroin had the greatest risk of dependence and acute lethality, while oral psilocybin had the least. The assessment did not include hazards from behavioral deficits, perceptual distortion, or chronic illness.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
November 1, 2016
Joseph J Palamar, Patricia Acosta, Scott J Sherman et al.
73 citations
Over a third (35.1%) of young adults aged 18–25 attending electronic dance music parties at nightclubs and festivals in New York City reported having used at least one novel psychoactive substance (NPS) in their lifetime. Synthetic cannabinoids were the most common (16.3%), followed by psychedelic phenethylamines (14.7%), synthetic cathinones (6.9%), other psychedelics (6.6%), tryptamines (5.1%), and dissociatives (4.3%). Use of Ecstasy/MDMA/Molly, LSD, and ketamine, identifying as bisexual, more frequent nightclub or festival attendance, and being surveyed outside a festival (versus a nightclub) were associated with higher risk of NPS use. The findings indicate that prevention and harm reduction efforts should target this high-risk population.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 1, 2007
F. Gerard Moeller, Joel L. Steinberg, Scott D Lane et al.
39 citations
MDMA users showed reduced longitudinal diffusivity in the rostral body of the corpus callosum, indicating possible microstructural changes, while no differences were found in other diffusivity measures. MDMA users also reported higher impulsivity on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and made more disadvantageous choices on the Iowa Gambling Task. A positive correlation emerged between longitudinal diffusivity in the rostral corpus callosum and advantageous decision-making, suggesting a link between white matter integrity and cognitive performance. Further research is needed to understand the causes of these associations.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 1, 2012
Brian E Perron, Brian K Ahmedani, Michael G. Vaughn et al.
36 citations
Salvia divinorum use is most common among young adults aged 18-25 and individuals who engage in risk-taking behaviors such as selling illicit drugs or stealing, as well as those who use other illicit drugs, particularly other hallucinogens or ecstasy. Self-reported depression and anxiety are also associated with salvia use. The findings indicate that salvia use is part of a broader pattern of psychosocial and behavioral problems among youth and young adults. Its accessibility, legal status, and psychoactive effects may pose additional health risks, especially for those with existing substance use problems.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
September 3, 2023
Alan Kooi Davis, Yitong Xin, Nathan D. Sepeda et al.
29 citations
Combined ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT assisted therapy produced rapid and large improvements in mental health among trauma-exposed Special Operations Forces Veterans. In a sample of 86 male veterans, self-reported PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, insomnia severity, and post-concussive symptoms all significantly decreased from baseline to one-month follow-up. Satisfaction with life, psychological flexibility, and cognitive functioning also significantly improved. The therapeutic effects appeared durable up to six months. The study was a prospective clinical program evaluation conducted in Mexico, and the authors call for future controlled research to confirm these findings.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
September 3, 2023
Joseph J Palamar
29 citations
A drug concoction called tusi, also known as “pink cocaine,” has emerged in Latin America, Europe, and now the United States. Despite its name—a phonetic translation of “2C” psychedelics—multiple drug checking studies show that tusi rarely contains 2C series drugs. Instead, most samples contain ketamine, often mixed with MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, opioids, or new psychoactive substances. This mislabeling confuses users, who may unknowingly consume a variety of drugs, increasing the risk of adverse effects. It also complicates research, as self-reported use undercounts exposure to substances like ketamine and MDMA. Combining self-reports with toxicological testing may yield more accurate estimates. Education about tusi’s actual contents and dangers is needed for both users and researchers.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
June 5, 2021
David J. Cox, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Matthew W. Johnson
29 citations
People who quit or reduced using alcohol, cannabis, opioids, or stimulants after a psychedelic experience provided written narratives of that experience. Natural language processing extracted topic models from the narratives, and three machine learning algorithms predicted long-term drug reduction outcomes with about 65% accuracy. The quantitative descriptions of the experiences differed depending on which drug class was quit and whether the reduction was sustained. The findings suggest that analyzing written reports of psychedelic experiences with machine learning could help predict who will benefit from psychedelic therapy for substance use.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
January 2, 2018
Deborah C. Mash
29 citations
Ibogaine, an indole alkaloid from the West African shrub Tabernanthe iboga, has a long history of use in spiritual ceremonies, coming-of-age rituals, and healing practices. The abstract introduces the compound but does not present a specific finding or argument.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
August 24, 2016
Michael P. Bogenschutz
18 citations
A pilot study testing a treatment model that uses 2–3 doses of psilocybin for smoking cessation provides long-term outcome data. The results suggest the intervention may help maintain abstinence over an extended period, though the small sample size and lack of a control group limit the strength of the conclusions.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
November 2, 2023
Fernando Mendive, Cecile Giovannetti, Sara García Arce
4 citations
A treatment program at the Takiwasi Center in the Peruvian Amazon combines traditional Amazonian medicine with modern psychotherapy to help people with substance use disorders. Since 1992, over a thousand patients from diverse backgrounds have participated in residential treatment. The program uses Amazonian healing techniques alongside psychological approaches in a therapeutic community. Quantitative outcomes show significant improvements in mental health indicators during treatment. The approach may offer insights for broader understanding and care of substance use disorders.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
March 4, 2019
Elias Dakwar
1 citation
The article reports that 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), when used in a naturalistic group setting, is associated with unintended improvements in depression and anxiety. The finding suggests potential therapeutic benefits of the substance beyond its primary use, though the report does not specify the magnitude of improvement or sample size.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
September 2, 2024
Ming-Chyi Huang, Li-Jung Chiang, Wan-Hsi Chien et al.
Females with ketamine use disorder have lower leptin levels than healthy females, and those lower levels persist even after two weeks of abstinence. In contrast, males with ketamine use disorder show leptin levels similar to healthy males at the start of abstinence, and their leptin levels increase after two weeks of abstinence. Leptin is a hormone linked to addiction, and these sex-specific differences may be relevant for understanding recovery from ketamine dependence.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
August 22, 2013
Brittany Vasae Burdick, Bryon Adinoff
Current treatments for addiction are often ineffective. Hallucinogenic therapy shows promise for substance use disorders, with single doses producing significant, long-term beneficial effects and a safety profile of low toxicity and non-addictiveness. However, if the same psychological insights and decreased drug use could be achieved without drugs, pharmacological interventions may be unnecessary. No clinical comparisons of drug-induced versus non-drug-induced altered states for addiction treatment exist. A proposed clinical trial would evaluate abstinence in prescription opioid abusers after psilocybin, hyperventilation (Holotropic Breathwork), or an active placebo with niacin, aiming to distinguish hallucinogen-specific effects from those of altered states generally.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
March 4, 2023
Nicole Ledwos, Aurelia I Andreiev, Tianna Costa et al.
A case report describes a young person with dextromethorphan (DXM) use disorder, arising from misuse of NyQuil, which contains DXM, acetaminophen, doxylamine, and alcohol. DXM, related to codeine and ketamine, produces dissociative effects at high doses and has addiction liability. The patient was successfully treated with a combination of naltrexone and gabapentin, targeting NMDA and sigma-1 receptors involved in DXM's mechanism. The report suggests this combination may be a viable treatment for DXM addiction.