Improving identification and treatment of cannabis use in VA primary care
Official title: Gaps in Identification, Referral and Treatment of Cannabis Use in VA Primary Care
Funded at Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco · NIH-11196724 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to help VA primary care better find, refer, and treat veterans who use cannabis, especially older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003522-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11196724 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans who receive VA primary care and who use cannabis or are concerned about their cannabis use, particularly adults aged 50 and older, are the ideal candidates for this work.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not get care at VA primary care clinics or who do not use cannabis are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
You may be asked to share information about cannabis use through medical records or brief questionnaires so researchers can see how often use and related problems are missed in VA primary care. The team will examine how often patients are identified, whether they are referred for help, and what treatments they receive, using VA clinic records and patient reports. The focus is on veterans, including adults aged 50 and older, and on patterns across VA primary care settings. Findings will be used to design practical ways clinics can improve screening, referral, and access to effective behavioral treatments or medications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier recognition of cannabis-related problems and quicker access to proven treatments for veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Behavioral treatments and some medications have shown benefit for cannabis use disorder in prior research, but studies specifically addressing identification and referral in VA primary care are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keyhani, Salomeh — Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Keyhani, Salomeh
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.