Impact of a Naturalistic Psychedelic Experience on Smoking: A Retrospective Survey.
Bruno Romeo, Baptiste Fauvel, S Dejean, L Strika, Ammar Amirouche, Vincent Verroust, Pascale Piolino, Amine Benyamina
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2023 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2023.2227171 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 173 |
| Population | Individuals who reported having a psychedelic experience while being smokers |
| Intervention | psychedelic experience |
| Topics | Addiction |
| Keywords | Psychedelic Psychological flexibility Smoking Tobacco use disorder |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | A psychedelic experience in natural contexts is associated with reduced smoking and tobacco dependency, with mystical experience intensity, personal motives, and increased psychological flexibility predicting reduction or cessation. |
Abstract
Tobacco use disorder is a major public health concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a psychedelic experience in a natural context on tobacco use. A retrospective online survey was conducted on 173 individuals who reported having had a psychedelic experience while being smokers. Demographic information was collected, and characteristics of the psychedelic experience, tobacco addiction and psychological flexibility were assessed. Mean number of cigarettes smoked per day, and proportion of individuals with high tobacco dependency significantly decreased between the three time points (p < .001). Participants who reduced or quit smoking had more intense mystical experiences during the psychedelic session (p = .01) and lower psychological flexibility before the psychedelic experience (p = .018). The increase in psychological flexibility post psychedelic session, and the personal motives for the psychedelic experience were significant positive predictors of smoking reduction or cessation (p < .001). Our results confirmed that a psychedelic experience in smoker individuals can be associated with smoking and tobacco dependency reduction and that the personal motives for the psychedelic session, the intensity of the mystical experience, and the increase of psychological flexibility following the psychedelic experience, are associated with smoking cessation or reduction.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey Online survey respondents | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | |
| The users of Novel Psychoactive Substances: Online survey about their characteristics, attitudes and motivations International users of novel psychoactive substances recruited via bluelight.org | 2016 | Cross-sectional online survey | n = 619 |
| User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study Users of hallucinogenic drugs who completed a web-based questionnaire | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 600 |
| Psychological and neuropsychological assessment of regular hoasca users. Regular hoasca users from a U.S. branch of União do Vegetal and matched non-user controls | 2016 | Cross-sectional study | n = 57 |
| Client and counselor attitudes toward the use of medications for treatment of opioid dependence. Counselors and clients from outpatient, methadone, and residential drug treatment programs | 2007 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 1,459 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- The intensity of the psychedelic experience is reliably associated with clinical improvements: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews May 1, 2025
- Psychedelics as a potential treatment for tobacco use disorder: a systematic review. Discover Mental Health September 17, 2024
- Psychedelics and substance use disorder treatment. International review of neurobiology 2025
- Exploring factors associated with the intensity of a mystical experience following naturalistic psychedelic use: A retrospective survey. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry March 20, 2025
- Significant Psychedelic Experiences Evaluated for Mystical Characteristics Associated with Cannabis Use Reduction and Psychological Flexibility Improvement: A Naturalistic Cross-Sectional Retrospective Survey. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs July 3, 2024
and 9 more in the library
Cites 30
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 13, 2015
- Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction Journal of Psychopharmacology September 11, 2014
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
and 25 more in the library