Psilocybin Outperforms Nicotine Patches for Smoking Cessation, Study Finds

Single dose of psilocybin combined with therapy leads to significantly higher long-term abstinence rates compared to FDA-approved nicotine patches.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that a single dose of psilocybin combined with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was more effective for helping people quit smoking long-term compared to the use of FDA-approved nicotine patches paired with the same CBT program. The randomized clinical trial showed that over 40% of participants who received psilocybin achieved biochemically verified prolonged abstinence at 6-month follow-up, compared to only 10% of those who used nicotine patches.

Why it matters

The study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting psilocybin and other psychedelics may have significant therapeutic potential for treating various addictions, including tobacco use disorder. As psychedelics policy reform advances, this research could help pave the way for psilocybin-assisted therapy to be approved by the FDA as a novel approach to smoking cessation.

The details

The study involved 82 psychiatrically healthy adult smokers, with 68 completing the 6-month follow-up. Participants either received a single high dose (30mg/70kg) of psilocybin or 8-10 weeks of FDA-approved nicotine patch treatment, with both groups also participating in a 13-week CBT program for smoking cessation. At the 6-month mark, 40.5% of the psilocybin group exhibited biochemically verified prolonged abstinence, compared to only 10% of the nicotine patch group. The psilocybin group also had more than three times greater odds of 7-day point prevalence abstinence.

  • The study was published on March 10, 2026.

The players

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

The institution where some of the researchers who conducted the study are based.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

The institution where some of the researchers who conducted the study are based.

American Medical Association (AMA)

The medical association that published the study in its JAMA Substance Use and Addiction journal.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The U.S. government agency that regulates and approves medical treatments, including the nicotine patches used in the study.

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What’s next

The study authors say the results make psilocybin a 'promising candidate for smoking cessation that should move forward in the FDA process toward potential approval'.

The takeaway

This study adds to the growing evidence that psilocybin-assisted therapy could be a highly effective treatment for tobacco addiction, potentially offering a novel approach beyond traditional nicotine replacement therapies. As psychedelics policy reform advances, this research could help pave the way for psilocybin to be approved by the FDA as a new tool in the fight against smoking.