Could a psychedelic compound help smokers quit for good?
NCT ID NCT05452772
First seen Jun 29, 2026 · Last updated Jun 30, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether psilocybin, a psychedelic substance, can help people stop smoking. Sixty-six daily smokers who have tried and failed to quit before will receive either psilocybin or niacin (a vitamin) in two sessions one week apart. Researchers will check if participants have remained smoke-free after 12 months using self-reports and biological tests.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- psilocybin
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new treatment option for tobacco use disorder, helping people quit smoking more effectively.
- What could go wrong
- This is a phase 2 trial with only 66 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Psilocybin can cause intense psychological effects, and the study compares it to niacin, not a standard cessation therapy.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
-
About 66 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Nov 2023
- Expected to finish
-
May 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
21 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 21 years old or older * Be a daily smoker (minimum of 5 cigarettes/day on a typical day and breath CO of 6 or greater at screening) with multiple unsuccessful previous quit attempts, and report a continued desire to quit smoking * Read, write, and speak English * Agree to abstain from smoking for the psilocybin/niacin session from 1 hour before psilocybin/niacin administration until at least 8 hours afterward * Agree to refrain from using any psychoactive drugs, including alcoholic beverages, within 24 hours of psilocybin/niacin administration * Be healthy as determined by screening for medical problems via a personal interview, a medical questionnaire, a physical examination, an electrocardiogram (ECG), and routine medical blood and urinalysis lab tests. See Exclusion Criteria below for specific ECG and specific blood test criteria Exclusion Criteria: * The use of e-cigarettes or tobacco products other than machine-manufactured combustible cigarettes (e.g., cigarillos) on more than 5 of the previous 30 days * Women who are pregnant (positive pregnancy test) or nursing, or are not practicing an effective means of birth control * Positive urine drug screen for illicit drugs (excluding cannabis) * Positive urine breath test for alcohol. Participants with positive tests will be rescheduled * For blood samples, the following lab values will be exclusionary: transaminases greater than x2 the upper limit of normal lab reference range, hemoglobin less than 11 g/d, and creatinine clearance \< 40 ml/min using the Cockroft-Gault equation. * For ECG screening: The ECG will be read by a cardiologist. Corrected heart rate (QTc) greater than 450 msec will be excluded. * Patients who have baseline vital signs that exceed the following measurements will be excluded from participation: Systolic blood pressure (SBP) \> 139 mmHG, diastolic blood pressure (DBP)\> 89 mmHG, and heart rate of \<=95 beats per minute (BPM). The investigators will perform serial heart rate monitoring with 3 total attempts. That is, heart rate must be \<=95 bpm on one of these attempts to be included in the study. * Currently taking on a regular basis (e.g., daily) antidepressants of any drug class, antipsychotics, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or serotonin-acting dietary supplements (e.g., 5-hydroxy- tryptophan, St. John's wort). Currently taking efavirenz, Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors such as disulfiram (Antabuse), Alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitors, or uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1-9 (UGT1A9) inhibitors or uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1-10 (UGT1A10) inhibitors such as phenytoin, regorafenib, eltrombopag. For individuals who have intermittent or "as needed" use of such medications, psilocybin sessions will not be conducted until at least 5 half-lives of the agent have elapsed after the last dose * Current use of medications for smoking cessation (i.e., varenicline, nicotine replacement products, bupropion) * Current neurological illnesses including, but not limited to, seizure disorders, frequent migraines or on prophylaxis, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, history of significant head trauma (loss of consciousness \> 24 hours), or central nervous system (CNS) tumor * Recent (within the past 12 months) or an extensive history of psychedelic use (\>20 lifetime uses) * Current or past history of meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria for Schizophrenia, Psychotic Disorder (unless substance-induced or due to a medical condition), or Bipolar I or II Disorder. Current or past history within the last 5 years of meeting DSM-5 criteria for alcohol or drug use disorder (excluding caffeine and nicotine) or severe major depression * Recent (past year) history of suicidal behavior or attempt or high-level current suicidal ideation assessed by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) * Have a first- or second-degree relative with schizophrenia, psychotic disorder (unless substance induced or due to a medical condition), or bipolar I or II disorder * Currently meets DSM-5 criteria for Dissociative Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Major Depression, or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Tobacco use disorder are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITINGBaltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States
-
New York University
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10016, United States
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
RECRUITINGBirmingham, Alabama, 35294, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Texts and wearables team up to help latinos quit smoking and get moving
- Can a WhatsApp message help smokers quit?
- Can a brain scan tailor TMS to quiet cigarette cravings?
- Could a health Worker's support break the smoking habit in mental illness?
- Virtual reality could help new moms kick the habit
- Magnetic pulses aimed at the brain might help smokers with opioid addiction kick the habit