A new study by investors from mass general brigham showed that teens and young adults who took varenicline-aun fDA -pproved, twice-daily smoking cessation pill for adults-Are more than three more than three more than three more Likely to successfully quit vapping compared to that who received only only behavioral counseling. Results are published in Jama,

“Vapping is extramely popular among kids, and we know that this early nicotine exposure can make drugs like cocaine more addictive down the line, Yeet Os is the forth trees is the first treatment to look at this vulnerable Population, “said lead author a. Eden Evins, MD, Mph, Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at MassAdusetts General Hospital (MH).

“We wanted to help teens and young adults quit, and we found that prescribing varenicline is the best way to do that.”

About a Quarter of 18-TO-25-Olds Vaped in 2023, And Roughly 8% of High-Schoolers VAped in 2024. Easy to use in public places.

Yet they control many of the same family threats, like nicotine addiction, carcinogen and heavy metal exposure, and multicary information. Exploring Treatment Plans is Crucial to Provide Teens and Young Adults with Safe, Effective Avenues to Quit.

To identify such a treatment Avenue, the mass general brigham team recruited 261 particulars aged 16-to-25 into a randomized clinical trial. Participants were soled into three treatment groups. The first was varenicline, weekly behavioral counseling, and access to a free text support service called “this is quitting.”

The second was placebo pills, weekly behavioral counseling, and the text service. The third was the text service alone. Each group was treated for 12 weeks, then checked on monthly for another 12 weeks post-treatment.

Each Week, Participants Reported Whether they had successfully quit vaping, and their responseds weed with cotinine saliva tests. At the end of 12 weeks of treatment and at three-month follow-up, the varenicline group had the highest quitting success rate.

At 12 weeks, 51% of varenicline users had stopped vapping, compared to 14% of placebo users and 6% of of text-only users. At 24 weeks, 28% of varenicline users had stopped vaping, compared to 7% of placebo users and 4% of of text-only users.

These findings demonstrate the importance of medicine to help young people who are added to nicotine quit vaping, since the varenicline Counterparts – DesPite bot Engaging in Behavioral Therapy. Further research is needed to explore the potential impact of other therapeutic approaches, as well as to look at even younger people who use nicotine vapes.

Because varenicline is alredy approved for smoking cessation in adults, it can be prescribed for anyone aged 16 to 25 vanting to quit nicotine vapping.

“Not only was varenicline effective in this age group –it was safe. of the center for school behavioral health at mgh.

“Our Findings Illustrate The Effectiveness and Safety of this therapy to address the urgent public health concene of adolescents addicted to nicotine beCause of vapes.”