Can a blood pressure medication curb cannabis cravings?
NCT ID NCT05273567
First seen Aug 18, 2026 · Last updated Aug 19, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether guanfacine-ER, a medication currently used for ADHD, can help people with cannabis use disorder reduce their cannabis use. Participants will receive either guanfacine-ER or a placebo daily for several weeks, and their cannabis use will be tracked through daily smartphone surveys. The study also looks at whether the medication affects impulsivity and withdrawal symptoms, and whether a virtual trial format is feasible.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- guanfacine-ER (an extended-release medication typically used for ADHD, here tested for cannabis use disorder)
- What this could lead to
- If effective, guanfacine-ER could offer a new medication option to help people with cannabis use disorder cut down or stop use, potentially easing withdrawal and impulsivity.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial, so results may not hold up in larger studies. Guanfacine can cause side effects like low blood pressure, dizziness, and sedation, and it may not reduce cannabis use in all participants.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
-
22 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2022
- Finished
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Sep 2023
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 65 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Meets DSM-V criteria for a current cannabis use disorder * Seeking treatment for cannabis use disorder with goal to reduce or stop use * THC-positive drug screen * Capable of giving informed consent and complying with study procedures * Access to internet and devices capable of completing study procedures * capability of receiving mailed packages for study supplies Exclusion Criteria: * Lifetime history of DSM-V diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder * Current DSM-V criteria for a psychiatric disorder supported by the MINI that in the investigator's judgment is unstable, would be disrupted by the study medication, or is likely to require new pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy during the study period. Individuals who are currently stable on psychotropic medication for at least 2 months may be included if in the investigator's opinion the psychotropic medication is compatible with the study medication (guanfacine-ER). Any medical or psychiatric conditions that in the investigator's judgment would interfere with safe participation in the study will be exclusionary. * Individuals who meet DSM-V criteria for any moderate to severe substance use disorder other cannabis, caffeine or nicotine use disorders * Pregnancy, lactation, or failure to use adequate contraceptive method in female patients who are currently engaging in sexual activity that can result in pregnancy * Legally mandated to participate in a substance use disorder treatment program * Current or recent history of significant violent or suicidal behavior, risk for suicide or homicide * Known history of allergy, intolerance, or hypersensitivity to guanfacine * Bradycardia (\< 50 beats/minute), hypotension (sitting or standing BP \< 90/50), or symptoms attributable to hypotension (i.e. lightheadedness or dizziness on standing) * Individuals currently being treated with the antihypertensive medications, including the class of alpha 2 agonists that have a potential drug-interaction with guanfacine based on adrenergic modulation * Individuals currently taking medications that may interact adversely with guanfacine and deemed not clinically safe by study physician at consent, such as rifampicin, ketoconazole, St. John's Wort, and amitriptyline.
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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
-
STARS Clinic at Columbia and NYSPI Department of Psychiatry
New York, New York, 10017, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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