Richmond, VA: The administration of the cannabinoid THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) reduces nicotine cravings and use in rodents, according to data published in the British Journal of Pharmacology.

Team of investigators with Virginia Commonwealth University, the Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology in China, and the University of Aberdeen in Scotland assessed the influence of delta-8 THCV in seven different rodent models relevant to nicotine dependence.

They reported that the compound "significantly attenuated intravenous nicotine self-administration, and both cue-induced and nicotine-induced relapse to nicotine-seeking behavior in rats [and] also significantly attenuated nicotine-induced conditioned place preference and nicotine withdrawal in mice."

Authors concluded, "Δ8 -THCV may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of nicotine dependence. We also suggest that tetrahydrocannabivarins should be tested for possible anti-addiction efficacy in a broader range of preclinical animal models, against other addictive drugs, and eventually in humans."

The results of a 2013 clinical trial published in the journal Addictive Behaviors identified an association between the administration of the cannabinoid CBD and a reduction in the consumption of tobacco cigarettes.

For more information, contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director. Full text of the study, "Δ8 – Tetrahydrocannabivarin has potent anti-nicotine effects in multiple models of nicotine dependence," appears in the British Journal of Pharmacology.

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