Long-term Follow-up of Psilocybin-facilitated Smoking Cessation
Psilocybin, CBT + Smoking Cessation
Smoking remains among the leading public health concerns of the 21st century, with over 6 million tobacco-related deaths per year worldwide. The most successful smoking cessation treatments available fail to promote long-term abstinence in the majority of individuals who use them, underscoring an urgent need to explore innovative treatment approaches.
About the study
Psilocybin, in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), was recently discovered to show efficacy in smoking cessation in a preliminary study, demonstrating an 80% success rate in smoking abstinence for 6 months after the psilocybin treatments. Long-term data is needed, however, so this follow-up study extends to 12-month and 30-month follow-ups after the initial treatments of psilocybin and CBT.
Consistent with previous findings, results indicated greater mystical-type effects and more positive attributions regarding psilocybin sessions were associated with greater smoking cessation success. The long-term results remain consistent with initial short-term data, with 67% of individuals remaining smoking abstinent at the 12-month follow-up, and 60% remaining smoking abstinent years afterward in the 30-month follow-up. Compared to the 31% success rate of other popular medications, these results are certainly notable and suggest that psychedelic-facilitated treatment of addiction holds significant therapeutic potential.
