Magic mushrooms could help people quit smoking
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- New research indicates that psychedelic drugs like psilocybin can help people quit smoking by shifting their worldview and altering life priorities, making smoking feel less relevant or desirable.
- A 2026 study found that psilocybin-assisted therapy combined with cognitive behavioral therapy was significantly more effective than nicotine patches, with 52% of participants remaining smoke-free after six months compared to 25% in the patch group.
- Psychedelics may reopen critical periods of brain plasticity, allowing individuals to learn new habits and potentially rewire addictive behaviors, though the exact mechanisms remain unclear.
- While promising, these findings come from relatively small, homogenous samples, and larger, more diverse clinical trials are underway to confirm efficacy and safety across broader populations.
- Psychedelic therapies remain tightly regulated and illegal in most countries, but growing evidence supports their potential to treat addictions and mental health conditions, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to smoking cessation.
