Psilocybin or Nicotine Patch for Smoking Cessation A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

Source:

Johnson MW, Naudé GP, Hendricks PS, Garcia-Romeu A. Psilocybin or Nicotine Patch for Smoking Cessation: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9(3):e260972. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.0972

Key Points

Question  What tobacco smoking cessation rates does psilocybin, an experimental treatment, yield compared with nicotine patch, an established treatment, with individuals in both groups receiving standardized cognitive behavioral therapy?

Findings  In this pilot randomized clinical trial, 42 participants randomized to receive psilocybin had more than 6 times greater odds of prolonged smoking abstinence 6 months after treatment than 40 participants who received the nicotine patch.

Meaning  These results suggest that psilocybin holds potential in the treatment of tobacco use disorder and, along with other psychedelics, should be investigated further for tobacco and other substance use disorders.