Varenicline plus brief behavioural counselling increases vaping abstinence in youth

The use of electronic cigarettes (vaping) is common in adolescents and young adults. Vaping puts youth at risk for nicotine addiction and future uptake of combusted tobacco and other substance use. Direct negative health effects of vapour exposure are also concerning, such as carcinogen and heavy metal exposure and pulmonary inflammation. Few treatments to promote vaping cessation have been tested in youth. To examine this issue, a recent clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of varenicline for nicotine vaping cessation in youth who did not smoke tobacco regularly.The randomized clinical trial was conducted among youth (age 16–25 years) in Massachusetts who vaped nicotine daily or near daily. Participants did not regularly smoke tobacco and wanted to reduce or quit vaping. Participants were randomized (1:1:1) to one of the following three groups:12 weeks of varenicline titrated to 1 mg twice daily over seven days (standard titration), weekly 20-minute remotely-delivered behavioural counselling sessions (conducted via Zoom), and referral to free text messaging vaping cessation support (This is Quitting [TIQ]) (n = 88)identical placebo, weekly counselling, and referral to TIQ (n = 87), orenhanced usual care (referral to TIQ only) (n = 86). Patients were assessed at enrollment, randomization, weekly for 12 weeks, and at weeks 16, 20 and 24 by study staff blind to treatment allocation.The main outcome was biochemically verified continuous vaping abstinence for the last four weeks (weeks 9–12) of varenicline treatment vs placebo (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes included bio-verified continuous abstinence from weeks 9 through 24 in the varenicline and placebo groups. Additional analyses compared the varenicline group and placebo group with enhanced usual care.Results showed the following:254 of 261 (97.3%) randomized participants (mean age, 21.4 years; 53% female) completed the trial.For varenicline versus placebo, continuous abstinence rates were 51% vs 14% during weeks 9 through 12 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 6.5 [95% CI, 3.0–14.1]; p

Varenicline plus brief behavioural counselling increases vaping abstinence in youth

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