Question: In adults with substance or alcohol addiction, how effective are psychedelic compounds as detoxification agents, or adjunct to psychotherapies, compared to any other intervention, in reducing substance or alcohol use?

Answer:

Plain language summary

No firm conclusions can be made from the available evidence, only four articles found psychedelic compounds to be effective for reducing substance or alcohol abuse when used as detoxification agents, or adjunct to psychotherapies. The need for further research in this area was identified.

Clinical and research implications

No definite clinical implications may be made based on the evidence presented in this BEST summary. The authors of a systematic review stated that more data are needed to determine whether lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) may be beneficial or harmful in certain subgroups of individuals. It was also suggested that future trials should consider combining a range of doses of LSD with current evidence-based alcohol relapse prevention treatments.

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