Quitting smoking is a goal that many fail to achieve.

But a study has found that long time smokers were more successful in kicking the habit when taking psilocybin - the active hallucinogenic agent in ‘magic mushrooms'.

The controlled experiment found that 80 per cent of participants successfully quit after six months.

A study by John Hopkins University in Baltimore gave 15 people psilocybin, the active hallucinogenic agent in 'magic mushrooms' (stock image shown). The participants had all been active smokers for an average of 31 years. After three doses over eight weeks, 12 of the 15 were able to quit

The research was carried out by the John Hopkins University in Baltimore

In the study ten men and five women, all mentally and physically healthy, took part.

Each had smoked an average of 19 cigarettes a day for 31 years but had repeatedly tried to quit, without success.

Each participant was given a dose of psilocybin in pill form on a day they planned to quit smoking.

WHAT DOES PSILOCYBIN DO TO THE BRAIN? Under the influence of psilocybin, activity in the more primitive brain network linked to emotional thinking became more pronounced. Several different areas in this network - such as the hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex - appear to be active at the same time. This pattern of activity is similar to the pattern observed in people who are dreaming. It also made activity in the brain area linked to high-level thinking, including self-consciousness, more uncoordinated. Advertisement

Two and eight weeks later they were then given higher doses of the drug.

Each drug-taking session lasted six to seven hours, during which they were kept in a safe and comfortable setting.

They often wore eyeshades and listened to music while being told to relax.

In addition they undertook weekly counselling and kept a diary to monitor their cravings.

By the end of the study 12 of the 15 participants were able to quit smoking completely.

The researchers add that the experiment is not an endorsement for taking magic mushrooms, but rather highlights how psilocybin can be useful in controlled environments.

‘Quitting smoking isn’t a simple biological reaction to psilocybin, as with other medications that directly affect nicotine receptors,’ said Dr Matthew Johnson, one of the authors on the study.

‘When administered after careful preparation and in a therapeutic context, psilocybin can lead to deep reflection about one’s life and spark motivation to change.’