Decreased Cigarette, Alcohol, and Drug Abuse

A statistical meta-analysis of 198 independent treatment outcomes found that Transcendental Meditation produced a significantly larger reduction in tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use than either standard substance abuse treatments (including counseling, pharmacological treatments, relaxation training, and Twelve-step programs) or prevention programs (such as programs to counteract peer-pressure and promote personal development). This meta-analysis controlled for strength of study design and included both heavy and casual users. Whereas the effects of conventional programs typically decrease sharply by three months, effects of Transcendental Meditation on total abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug ranged from 51 to 89 percent over an 18 to 22 month period.

Reference I: Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis, Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 13-87, 1994. Reference II: Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review, International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293-325, 1991.