Could sedatives help smokers quit? early study tests the idea
NCT ID NCT05505630
First seen Jan 04, 2026 · Last updated Jun 21, 2026 · Updated 27 times
Summary
This small, early-phase study tested whether a single dose of sedatives like ketamine, midazolam, or dexmedetomidine could reduce cigarette cravings and smoking in 20 daily smokers. Participants received one of these drugs or a placebo (saline) and reported their cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and how many cigarettes they smoked. The goal was to understand how these drugs affect smoking behavior, not to find a treatment yet.
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Ketamine, Midazolam, Dexmedetomidine, Saline
What this could lead to
If successful, this could point toward new ways to help people quit smoking by targeting brain pathways involved in craving.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early-phase study with only 20 participants. Results may not apply to all smokers, and the drugs have side effects like sedation and dizziness.
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.