Psychedelics as a potential treatment for tobacco use disorder: a systematic review.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review of published clinical and non-clinical literature.
PubMed 39289250 · doi:10.1007/s44192-024-00095-0
What was done
A systematic review was conducted across four databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase) from inception up to March 24, 2024. The authors sought clinical and non-clinical publications evaluating the role of psychedelics in smoking cessation and tobacco use disorder.
What was found
From 1,073 identified records, 8 publications met the inclusion criteria. Four of the eight publications were derived from a single primary study. Most publications focused on psilocybin (n = 7), which showed supportive evidence for treating tobacco use disorder. Other psychedelics (ayahuasca, mescaline, peyote, LSD, LSA, and DMT) were examined, but data were too sparse to draw conclusions. No numerical effect sizes, cessation rates, or statistical metrics were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
Tobacco use disorder remains difficult to treat with existing cessation tools. This review maps the early evidence base for psychedelic-assisted cessation, confirming that psilocybin is the primary compound studied to date while highlighting how few independent datasets exist.
Limits
The total evidence base is tiny (8 publications), with half the literature originating from just one study. The review combined clinical and non-clinical study designs, the abstract provided no quantitative cessation rates or safety statistics, and evidence for non-psilocybin psychedelics was insufficient for evaluation.
Cited by
- supports Psychedelic therapies have demonstrated efficacy in smoking cessation.