A recent clinical trial led by researchers at Mass General Brigham has found that varenicline, a medication commonly used to help people quit nicotine, is effective in helping adolescents and young adults stop vaping nicotine regardless of their cannabis use. The study involved 261 participants aged 16 to 25 years and was published in JAMA Network Open.
Nicotine vaping among young people has become a significant public health issue, with 2024 marking the first year that it was the most initiated drug among this age group. Despite its prevalence, there are limited treatment options available for those seeking to quit. Previous research indicated that about half of young people who vape nicotine also use cannabis, but it was unclear how this dual substance use might affect attempts to quit.
Jodi Gilman, PhD, Director of Neuroscience for the Center for Addiction Medicine in the Mass General Brigham Department of Psychiatry and first author of the study, stated: "We need to increase use of nicotine vaping cessation treatment by young people, and we know that cannabis use is widespread in this population. It's fantastic news that cannabis use doesn't appear to be a barrier to successful vaping cessation with varenicline treatment, and we can use our findings to inform screening, treatment, planning, and public health messaging moving forward."
The study divided participants based on their reported cannabis use: 28% had not used cannabis in the past month; 38% used it one-to-three days per week; and 30% used it four-to-seven days per week. Contrary to initial expectations, researchers found that rates of quitting nicotine vaping were similar across all levels of cannabis use. Varenicline was associated with higher rates of nicotine abstinence compared to behavioral support interventions alone. The medication did not impact participants' rates of cannabis consumption.
Researchers suggest future studies could examine whether integrated interventions targeting both nicotine and cannabis co-use may provide additional benefits.
