Treatment for quitting cigarettes and reducing cannabis use

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study evaluates the effectiveness of varenicline, a medication typically used for smoking cessation, compared to a placebo in adults who co-use cigarettes and cannabis. Participants will receive counseling and access to online treatment modules to support their quit attempts for cigarettes and reduction attempts for cannabis. The study is conducted remotely, requiring no in-person visits, and aims to address the lack of treatment strategies for individuals who use both substances. The research is based on previous findings that highlight the challenges of co-use and the potential benefits of varenicline for both tobacco and cannabis use.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion criteria:

1. Ages 18 and over (no upper age limit)
2. Must smoke at least 5 tobacco cigarettes per day on at least 20 out of the past 30 days for the past 3 months
3. Must express interest in quitting tobacco
4. Must express interest in cannabis reduction and/or cessation
5. Must submit a positive instant-read test for cotinine and cannabis prior to enrollment
6. Must self-report cannabis use (THC-dominant products) on at 3 days per week out of the past 30 days
7. Must be willing to take varenicline or placebo for 12 weeks
8. Must reside in South Carolina

Exclusion criteria:

1. Any significant or acutely unstable medical, psychiatric, or substance use problem (including clinically significant disorders) that would contraindicate research, interfere with safety, compromise data integrity, or preclude consistent study participation
2. Pregnant or trying to become pregnant
3. Use of medications with smoking cessation efficacy
4. Regular use of e-cigarettes or other tobacco products (\<10 days in the past month)

Where it's running

• Medical University of South Carolina - Charleston
  Charleston, South Carolina, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Erin Mcclure — Medical University of South Carolina
• Study coordinator: Erin Mcclure
• Email: mccluree@musc.edu
• Phone: 843-792-7192

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Brain imaging to predict teens' response to cannabis treatment

  This project will test whether teens' brain activity during a learning task can predict how well 14–17-year-olds do in a 10-week virtual reward program to reduce cannabis use.

  Recruiting Indiana University · Indianapolis, Indiana · NCT07340554

• Oral saliva testing to detect recent cannabis use in young adults.

  This project will test whether at-home saliva tests can detect recent cannabis use in 18-to-30-year-olds who use cannabis at least once a week.

  Recruiting Boston Children's Hospital · Boston, Massachusetts · NCT06891235

• Using Cannabidiol to Help People Quit Smoking

  This study is testing if taking cannabidiol (CBD) can help people who smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day quit smoking and feel better during withdrawal.

  Recruiting Phase 1 Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, Maryland · NCT05445804

• Investigating cognitive function in psychosis patients and cannabis users

  This study is testing how taking a break from cannabis for 28 days affects thinking skills and brain activity in people with psychosis and those who use cannabis but don’t have mental health issues.

  Recruiting Douglas Mental Health University Institute · Montreal, Quebec · NCT05445180

• Can tACS modulate motivation and reward signals in cannabis use disorder and depression

  We’re testing whether a gentle brain stimulation method (tACS) can boost motivation and reward responses in adults with cannabis use and/or depression to see if it helps with anhedonia.

  Recruiting Florida State University · Tallahassee, Florida and 1 other locations · NCT07924852

• Sex differences in how cannabis affects people who regularly use it

  This Phase 2 trial tests whether men and women who use cannabis several days a week respond differently to THC versus placebo.

  Recruiting Phase 2 Medical University of South Carolina · Charleston, South Carolina · NCT07815691

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.