Can a Stop-Smoking drug curb marijuana use?
NCT ID NCT07783555
First seen Aug 25, 2026 · Last updated Aug 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether varenicline, a medication already used to help people quit smoking, can reduce marijuana use in adults with cannabis use disorder. Participants will take either varenicline or a placebo for 12 weeks, alongside computerized cognitive behavioral therapy. The study will track changes in cannabis use, medication adherence, and safety to see if this approach holds promise.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Varenicline (Chantix), a medication typically used to help people stop smoking, given at a standard dose for 12 weeks.
- What this could lead to
- If effective, varenicline could become a new medication option to help people with cannabis use disorder cut down or stop their marijuana use.
- What could go wrong
- This is a phase 2 trial, so results are preliminary. Varenicline may not work for cannabis use, and it can have side effects like nausea, sleep problems, and mood changes.
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
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 224 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Dec 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2031
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: * Age ≥ 18 years * DSM-5 diagnosis of cannabis use disorder * Cannabis use ≥ 3 days per week in past 30 days * Ability to read English and provide informed consent * Willingness to comply with medication and study procedures * Agreement to use acceptable contraception if of childbearing potential Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy * Severe renal impairment (CrCl \< 30 mL/min) * Lifetime bipolar I or II disorder, schizophrenia, or other psychotic disorder * Suicidal ideation or behavior within 6 months * Use of excluded psychotropic medications (e.g., bupropion, nortriptyline) * Moderate or severe non-cannabis substance use disorder (except nicotine) * Clinically significant cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease in past 6 months * Hypersensitivity to varenicline * Participation in another investigational drug study within 30 days
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
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