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It’s time to take psilocybin seriously as a possible treatment for substance use disorders

Michael P. Bogenschutz

The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse August 24, 2016 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2016.1200060 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Pilot study Peer reviewed
Intervention Psilocybin
Dose 2–3 doses
Duration 12-month follow-up
Topics Psilocybin Addiction
Keywords Substance use Substance abuse treatment Hallucinogen
Citations 18
Key points The treatment model using 2–3 doses of psilocybin may support long-term smoking cessation, but the evidence is preliminary due to the pilot design.

Abstract

In the current issue of the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Johnson et al. (1) provide long-term outcome data from a smoking cessation pilot study of a treatment model using 2–3 doses o...

Comparable studies

Other non-randomized and open-label trials on psilocybin for addiction, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction Psychiatrically healthy nicotine-dependent smokers 2014 Open-label pilot study n = 15
Psilocybin-Occasioned Mystical Experiences in the Treatment of Tobacco Addiction Smokers 2015 Open-label pilot study n = 15
The Psychedelic Debriefing in Alcohol Dependence Treatment: Illustrating Key Change Phenomena through Qualitative Content Analysis of Clinical Sessions Participants in a psilocybin-assisted treatment study for alcohol dependence 2018 Open-label pilot (proof-of-concept) study with qualitative content analysis n = 17
Single-dose psilocybin therapy for alcohol use disorder: Pharmacokinetics, feasibility, safety and efficacy in an open-label study Treatment-seeking adults with severe alcohol use disorder 2025 Open-label, single-group study n = 10
Psilocybin for Opioid Use Disorder in Two Adults Stabilized on Buprenorphine: A Technical Report on Study Modifications and Preliminary Findings People with opioid use disorder 2023 Clinical trial

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