Clinical trial NCT01603992: Quiting Marijuana Use: Self-report Study of Quitting Straegies and Withdrawal Symptoms
Official title: Quitting Marijuana Use: Self-Report Study of Quitting Strategies and Withdrawal Symptoms
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Cannabis Abuse
Cannabis Dependence
Keywords: Cannabis
Craving
Questionnaire
Non-Treatment
Drug Use
Lead sponsor: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
Sponsor class: NIH
First posted: 2012-05-23
Enrollment: 822
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary: Background:

- Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the world, yet relatively little is known about users who try to quit without formal treatment ( spontaneous quitting). Studies have suggested that there are some common strategies that many individuals use in spontaneous quitting, such as changing one s lifestyle or identity, reminding oneself of negative consequences, support from family and friends, and religion. However, more research is needed to determine potential treatment strategies for marijuana use.

Objectives:

* To identify strategies used to help with marijuana quitting among non-treatment seeking adult marijuana users.
* To identify withdrawal symptoms experienced during marijuana quitting and their relationship to the quitting strategies used and the outcome of the quit attempt.
* To evaluate whether subgroups of marijuana users differ in their experience of marijuana quitting.

Eligibility:

- Individuals at least 18 years of age who have made at least one attempt to quit marijuana use.

Design:

* The study will consist of one visit of approximately 1 to 2 hours.
* Participants will fill out three questionnaires. The questionnaires have different types of questions, and will ask about background and lifestyle, marijuana use and craving patterns and behaviors, and difficulties in previous attempts to quit using marijuana.

Detailed description: Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the world, yet relatively little is known about users who try to quit without formal treatment (so-called spontaneous quitting). This study will use two self-report questionnaires to collect information on the socio-demographic characteristics, marijuana use history, most difficult marijuana quit experience, and marijuana craving from a convenience sample of 1230 adult, non-treatment-seeking marijuana users. The questionnaires take 45-60 minutes to administer. Data will be analyzed for patterns and correlations among the characteristics of the quit attempt, including any withdrawal symptoms, quitting strategies used, and its success. The marijuana craving data will be analyzed to evaluate the validity of this measure of marijuana craving. There are no direct benefits to subjects from study participation. The scientific benefit is an improved understanding of spontaneous quitting of marijuana use, which may lead to improved interventions for marijuana users in the future. There are no physical risks to subjects. There are risks of anxiety or embarrassment while taking the questionnaire and of loss of confidentiality of sensitive information collected about subjects.

Eligibility criteria: * INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. age 18 or older
  2. have made at least one attempt to quit marijuana use
  3. able to give valid informed consent
  4. ability to understand English

Primary outcomes:
measure: Marijuana Quit Questionnaire
timeFrame: 1 to 2 hours
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Marijuana Craving Questionnaire, and Additional Questions about Marijuana Craving
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Baltimore
country: United States
facility: National Institute on Drug Abuse, Biomedical Research Center (BRC)
state: Maryland
city: Catonsville
country: United States
facility: Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC) 55 Wade Avenue
state: Maryland
city: Charleston
country: United States
facility: Medical University of S. Carolina
state: South Carolina
Study officials:
affiliation: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
name: David A Gorelick, M.D.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Adamson SJ, Sellman JD. A prototype screening instrument for cannabis use disorder: the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test (CUDIT) in an alcohol-dependent clinical sample. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2003 Sep;22(3):309-15. doi: 10.1080/0959523031000154454.
citation: Boyd SJ, Tashkin DP, Huestis MA, Heishman SJ, Dermand JC, Simmons MS, Gorelick DA. Strategies for quitting among non-treatment-seeking marijuana smokers. Am J Addict. 2005 Jan-Feb;14(1):35-42. doi: 10.1080/10550490590899835.
citation: Budney AJ, Hughes JR, Moore BA, Vandrey R. Review of the validity and significance of cannabis withdrawal syndrome. Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Nov;161(11):1967-77. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.161.11.1967.
citation: Koola MM, Boggs DL, Kelly DL, Liu F, Linthicum JA, Turner HE, McMahon RP, Gorelick DA. Relief of cannabis withdrawal symptoms and cannabis quitting strategies in people with schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res. 2013 Oct 30;209(3):273-8. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2013.07.044. Epub 2013 Aug 20.
citation: Boggs DL, Kelly DL, Liu F, Linthicum JA, Turner H, Schroeder JR, McMahon RP, Gorelick DA. Cannabis withdrawal in chronic cannabis users with schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res. 2013 Feb;47(2):240-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.10.010. Epub 2012 Nov 10.