*Walter Bloomberg

PSILOCYBIN BEATS NICOTINE PATCHES IN QUITTING SMOKING A study published in JAMA Network Open found a single dose of psilocybin—the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms—was far more effective than nicotine patches at helping smokers quit. In a trial of 82 adults, over 40% of participants who received psilocybin were smoke-free after six months, compared with about 10% using nicotine patches, with both groups receiving therapy. Lead researcher Matthew Johnson of Johns Hopkins University said the drug may help by altering brain communication and self-perception, potentially breaking addictive patterns. The findings add momentum to growing research into psychedelic-assisted treatments, though larger trials are still needed. -