Can cash incentives and a quit-smoking pill curb both drinking and smoking?
NCT ID NCT05181891
First seen Jul 02, 2026 · Last updated Jul 07, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether combining varenicline (a medication that helps people stop smoking) with financial rewards for clean urine samples can reduce alcohol and tobacco use in adults who both drink heavily and smoke daily. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either rewards for negative alcohol tests or rewards just for providing samples, while all take varenicline. The goal is to see if the added incentive leads to greater reductions in drinking and smoking over several months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- varenicline
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could offer a practical way to help people cut down on both alcohol and cigarettes at the same time.
- What could go wrong
- This is a mid-stage trial with 205 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The behavioral incentives may not work long-term, and varenicline can cause side effects like nausea or mood changes.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Washington State University
RECRUITINGSpokane, Washington, 99202, United States
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