Varenicline for Comorbid Tobacco and Cannnabis Use in Veterans

NIH RePORTER · VA · I01 · · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Tobacco and cannabis are commonly used together in the Veteran population and result in significant morbidity; to date, however, advancements in medication development for this comorbidity have been limited. Varenicline, a selective nicotinic nACH receptor partial agonist of the α4β2 subtype and a full agonist of the α7 subtype, is arguably the most effective pharmacotherapy for promoting tobacco abstinence and has also shown promise for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Varenicline may improve cannabis use outcomes through multiple mechanisms, including interaction with the mesolimbic dopamine system, enhancement of cognitive functioning, and restoration of inhibitory control. Our pilot data also suggests that varenicline may be effective in improving use outcomes in individuals who use both cannabis and tobacco. Given the prevalence of cannabis and tobacco use disorder in Veterans, we propose to conduct a 12-week, placebo-controlled trial in 138 individuals to evaluate the potential efficacy of varenicline in individuals with this comorbidity. Primary outcomes will be reduction in cannabis and tobacco use, and exploratory analyses will examine retention in treatment.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10595586
Project number
5I01CX002357-02
Recipient
RALPH H JOHNSON VA MEDICAL CENTER
Principal Investigator
AIMEE L MCRAE-CLARK
Activity code
I01
Funding institute
VA
Fiscal year
2024
Award amount
Award type
5
Project period
2022-10-01 → 2024-09-30