Taking hallucinogenic druglysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) could help alcoholics give up drinking, according to an analysis of studies performed in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

LSD is used mainly as an entheogen, recreational drug, and as an agent in psychedelic therapy.

Several decades ago, a number of clinics used LSD to treat alcoholism with some success.

But until now, no research has pulled together the results of these trials to document exactly how effective LSD was.

Now a new meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of the drug provides evidence for a clear and consistent beneficial effect of LSD for treating alcohol dependency.