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. 2012:6:63-71.
doi: 10.4137/SART.S9706. Epub 2012 Jun 25.

Bupropion reduces some of the symptoms of marihuana withdrawal in chronic marihuana users: a pilot study

David M Penetar  1 , Alison R Looby, Elizabeth T Ryan, Melissa A Maywalt, Scott E Lukas
Affiliations

Bupropion reduces some of the symptoms of marihuana withdrawal in chronic marihuana users: a pilot study

David M Penetar et al. Subst Abuse. 2012.

Abstract

Bupropion's (Zyban(®) SR) effectiveness to treat symptoms experienced in marihuana withdrawal was tested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with chronic, heavy marihuana users. Participants maintained their usual marihuana intake until Quit Day after which they were required to cease intake of THC products for 14 days. A Withdrawal Discomfort Score revealed that for 7 days immediately following cessation, placebo-treated subjects reported more symptoms than bupropion-treated subjects. Self-reported craving for marihuana increased for the placebo-treated group but not for those treated with bupropion. Measures of sleep and cognitive performance were not different between the two groups. Participants in the bupropion treatment arm were more likely to complete the study than those randomized to the placebo arm (50% completion for bupropion vs. 33% completion for placebo). These results suggest that bupropion may be useful for alleviating marihuana withdrawal symptoms and be useful in subject retention during long-term cessation programs.

Keywords: bupropion; cognitive performance; marihuana; pharmacotherapy; sleep; withdrawal.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study schematic. Notes: Participants filled out daily diaries from baseline through day 21. Medication started 7 days before ‘Quit Day’ in a procedure mimicking that recommended for treatment of tobacco cessation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Urinary THC metabolite levels for 9 participants completing the study. Note: Values dropped sharply after ‘Quit Day’ and continued to decrease slowly but were still detectable at day 21.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Daily withdrawal discomfort and craving scores. Notes: The withdrawal discomfort is a composite score of 10 items from the behavioral checklist of symptoms with a maximum score or 30. Craving to smoke marihuana was rated on a 0 to 3 point scale from ‘none’ to ‘severe’.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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