Can psilocybin help people stop smoking?

What did the researchers compare?

In a US pilot published in 2026, researchers randomly assigned 82 adult cigarette smokers to a supervised psilocybin session or a nicotine-patch programme. Both groups received a structured 13-week cognitive behavioural therapy programme for smoking cessation. Participants were screened; the study excluded people with some cardiovascular risks and psychiatric conditions. The treatments were known to participants and researchers, so expectations could influence outcomes.1

What happened at six months?

The main outcome was prolonged abstinence from smoking, checked with biochemical tests as well as participant reports. In the analysis of everyone assigned to a group, 17 of 42 people in the psilocybin group (40.5%) and 4 of 40 in the patch group (10.0%) met that outcome at six months; 68 of the 82 completed follow-up. These are results in a small, selected group, not a guarantee or an individual prediction. The comparison does not establish which part of the support package or drug experience caused the difference.

The trial defined prolonged abstinence as no smoking after an initial 14-day grace period following the target quit date. People who did not complete a follow-up were counted as not abstinent for that time point; this is an analysis assumption, not evidence that every missing participant smoked. The paper also described a separate seven-day measure and said the planned 12-month results would be reported separately. It offered participants in the patch group a psilocybin session after the six-month assessment, so later comparisons need to account for any crossover. These details matter when interpreting how lasting the six-month finding might be.1

What about risks and limitations?

The study reported no serious adverse events attributed to either treatment, but its size and selection cannot rule out uncommon or delayed harms. On the quit date, headaches were reported more often after psilocybin. Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored in the psilocybin group but not assessed in the same way in the patch group, limiting direct comparison of those measurements. The study was funded by research foundations and individual donors. A larger, independently replicated study would help clarify the effect and its generalisability.1

What does this mean for someone who wants to quit?

This is research into a supervised intervention, not evidence that taking mushrooms or an unverified product at home treats tobacco dependence. Established help includes behavioural support and medicines; availability and suitability vary by country and person. The US CDC explains options for quitting, and a healthcare professional can help discuss a plan. For the wider research and safety context, read the psilocybin profile and the psychedelics topic hub.21