Matthew W. Johnson

Dr. Johnson is an experimental psychologist and behavioral pharmacologist. Since 2004 he has played a role in the revival of psychedelic research. He has published research on psychedelics in relation to mystical experience, personality change, tobacco smoking cessation, cancer distress treatment, depression treatment, psychedelic risks and safety guidelines, and ethics. In 2021 he received as principal investigator the first grant in about 50 years from the US government to administer a classic psychedelic as a treatment, specifically psilocybin for tobacco addiction. He is also known for his expertise in behavioral economics, addiction, sexual risk behavior, and research with a wide variety of drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, opioids, alcohol, sedatives, and tobacco. He has been Interviewed by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, NPR, Fox News, BBC, Michael Pollan, the Lex Fridman Podcast, the Huberman Lab Podcast, and Big Think.