THC and CBD for opioid addiction and chronic pain
Official title: Combination of THC and CBD as a Novel Treatment for Co-Occurring Opioid Addiction and Chronic Pain
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11371353 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project seeks to reduce both chronic pain and opioid cravings in people with opioid use disorder who are receiving opioid agonist therapy by using a combination of THC and CBD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $454,523 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA060066-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11371353 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with opioid use disorder who also have chronic pain and are currently receiving opioid agonist therapy (for example, methadone or buprenorphine) would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without opioid use disorder, those not on opioid agonist therapy, pregnant individuals, or anyone with medical or psychiatric contraindications to cannabinoid use may not benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll receive combined doses of THC and CBD during supervised lab visits while staying on your usual opioid agonist medication. Researchers will measure your pain sensitivity with standardized quantitative sensory tests and track your opioid cravings using a visual cue task. The team wants to see whether CBD can lower cue-induced craving and whether adding THC provides extra pain relief while CBD may limit THC’s side effects. Sessions will be monitored for safety and tolerability at Yale.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a single treatment that eases chronic pain and reduces opioid craving, potentially improving recovery and lowering overdose risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies suggest THC can reduce pain and CBD can reduce cue-induced opioid craving, but the combined effects in people with both OUD and chronic pain are largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: De Aquino, Joao Paulo — Yale University
- Study coordinator: De Aquino, Joao Paulo
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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.