Do Hallucinogens Have a Role in the Treatment of Addictions? A Review of the Current Literature

Abstract

The utility of hallucinogenic drugs within psychiatry is an emerging topic, although not entirely a novel idea. After their introduction to western society in the mid-twentieth century, psychologists and psychiatrists studied their properties for use as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of psychiatric illness. Unfortunately, their classification as Schedule 1 drugs by the Drug Enforcement Administration in the 1970s put an end to this research. In the past decade, however, interest in hallucinogens has been reignited. The psychiatric community has begun to reinvestigate their role in mental health treatment, with addiction being one focus. Though there is a growing pool of research surrounding the use of hallucinogens in addiction treatment, there have been few reviews focusing on this topic. This paper will serve to summarize this data, focusing specifically on the following hallucinogenic agents: lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin, ketamine, ibogaine, and ayahuasca. It will review both the basic pharmacology of each of these chemicals and studies assessing their use in treating various addictions including alcoholism, nicotine addiction, opioid use disorder, and cocaine use disorder. Though more robust research is needed before use of these drugs can be effectively adopted into clinical practice, the current data is promising and suggests the potential for a new and unique avenue for the treatment of addiction.