Combination of E-cigarettes and Varenicline for Tobacco Harm Reduction
Status:
Active, not recruiting
Trial end date:
2020-07-31
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This open-label study will explore the impact of varenicline on the process of switching from
combustible cigarettes (CC) to an e-cigarette. Varenicline is currently the most efficacious
single pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, and through its actions as an agonist or
partial agonist at various nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes, serves to diminish the
rewarding effects of cigarette smoking. Diminishing the rewarding effects of smoking might
facilitate the transition from CC to e-cigarettes. On the other hand, varenicline might
attenuate the rewarding effects of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes as well, which could
hamper the transition. Thus, the study will provide important information about the actions
of varenicline on CC as well as e-cigarettes. There is no therapeutic intent in that smokers'
nicotine/tobacco dependence will not be treated; the goal is to switch from one form of
nicotine/tobacco dependence (CC) to dependence on a different tobacco product (e-cigarettes).