# Development of Tetrahydrocannabivarin as a Treatment for Smokers

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2024 · $196,875

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. The majority of
smokers report the desire to quit smoking; however only 3-5% of unaided quit attempts are successful;
highlighting the need for TUD treatments. Currently, there are only three classes of FDA-approved
pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation. While these medications have shown effectiveness in increasing
abstinence during randomized clinical trials, the benefit of using such treatments decreases over the course of
a year, and long-term quit rates rarely exceed 30%. Thus, innovations in treatment approaches are needed to
reach further reductions in tobacco use. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabivarin (Δ9-THCV) is a phytocannabinoid, which is
thought to be a CB1 receptor antagonist and partial CB2 receptor agonist. Δ9-THCV has shown initial promise
as a novel therapeutic for nicotine dependence and addictive disorders. Evidence from several animal models
indicates that THCV reduces nicotine self-administration, reduces cue- and nicotine-induced relapse-like
behavior, and improves nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The proposed study consists of a randomized, double-
blind, counter-balanced, crossover human laboratory study of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabivarin (Δ9-THCV) for daily
smokers. A total of 32 daily smokers will complete two outpatient study visits after 5 days underΔ9-THCV and
matched placebo, during which they will undergo a Smoking Lapse task to assess: (a) the ability to resist
smoking, (b) cigarette smoking self-administration, (c) subjective craving, (d) withdrawal, and (e) subjective
effects of nicotine. This study will test the initial efficacy of Δ9-THCV, which is essential for understanding the
clinical potential of this naturally occurring cannabinoid as a treatment for smoking cessation. Given the wide
prevalence cigarette use and the high acceptability of naturally-occurring products, such as cannabinoids, as
therapeutic agents, the proposed study has the potential to be transformative in uncovering the therapeutic
benefits of Δ9-THCV.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10989356
- **Project number:** 1R21DA059769-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Erica N Grodin
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $196,875
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-15 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10989356

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10989356, Development of Tetrahydrocannabivarin as a Treatment for Smokers (1R21DA059769-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-13 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10989356. Licensed CC0.

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