Matthew Johnson, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins; Associate Director, Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
Led the landmark psilocybin smoking cessation trial (80% abstinence at 6 months) and the first clinical trial of psilocybin for major depressive disorder.
Biography
Matthew Johnson is a behavioral pharmacologist and Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine who has focused his career on understanding and treating substance use disorders.
His 2014 study of psilocybin for tobacco addiction produced one of the most striking results in the field: 80% of participants were abstinent from cigarettes at the 6-month follow-up, compared to approximately 35% for the best available pharmacological treatment. A 12-month follow-up showed sustained abstinence in two-thirds of participants.
Johnson also led the 2020 JAMA Psychiatry study showing significant antidepressant effects of psilocybin in patients with major depressive disorder who were not treatment-resistant — expanding the potential patient population beyond the TRD focus of other research programs.
He has written extensively on the safety framework for psychedelic research and has been one of the most visible spokespersons for the field in media and policy contexts.
Organizations
Why They Matter to the LearnShrooms Community
Johnson's smoking cessation data remains one of the most compelling demonstrations of psilocybin's therapeutic potential for addiction. His safety framework for psychedelic administration has shaped how clinical trials are designed and conducted across the field.
Legal Context
For the legal landscape where Matthew Johnson, Ph.D. operates, see psilocybin laws in Maryland.