A new pill could be the first to help the more than 14 million people in the U.S. who struggle to control their marijuana use
For people who find themselves unable to control their cannabis consumption, treatment options are limited. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any medications for cannabis use disorder, even as legal reforms are steadily making the substance more widely available. But a new drug that aims to safely stem cravings is being developed by a French biopharmaceutical company and shows promise in animal and initial human trials.
People who consume large amounts of marijuana and are unable to cut back can experience problems with motivation and socialization, along with significant cognitive impairment—especially in adolescents—Piazza says. Those who begin using marijuana at or before age 18 have a higher risk of developing cannabis use disorder, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Once cannabis use disorder is developed, it is very difficult to treat,” Piazza adds.
The new compound, called AEF0117, works differently: it is a signaling inhibitor, which means it blocks only “a pocket” of the CB1 receptor, Haney explains. Blocking that pocket specifically inhibits the pathway responsible for the habit-forming psychoactive effects of cannabis. The body’s endocannabinoids can still bind to the receptor normally, but when THC slots in, that signaling pathway is blocked.
Additionally, the researchers examined whether participants would feel compelled to buy and smoke cannabis after taking AEF0117. “What this medication did was shifted that all down, and they chose not to spend their actual money in the lab,” Haney says. And because the CB1 receptors are still free to bind with the body’s own endocannabinoids, participants didn’t report withdrawal symptoms.
Currently patients suffering from cannabis use disorder can only turn to psychosocial treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or motivational enhancement therapy. Both require working with trained clinicians who can help develop behavioral strategies to reduce cannabis use.
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