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Varenicline for Smoking Reduction in Veterans Not Ready To Quit
Varenicline for Smoking Reduction in Veterans Unwilling to Quit
Who can join
Ages 21 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Report smoking an average of 5 or more cigarettes daily for the previous 6 months * Not ready to set a quit date in the next 30 days but willing to cut down on their smoking * Able to read, write, and speak English * Be medically eligible to use study medications (nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or varenicline) * If female, use an approved method of birth control while using study medication * Be a Veteran Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to give informed, voluntary consent to participate * Current use of any pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation * Use of non-cigarette tobacco products as primary form of tobacco use * Incarceration
About the study
In order to reduce the prevalence of cigarette smoking among Veterans, it is vital that healthcare providers offer effective tobacco treatment to all Veterans who smoke, including those not ready to make a quit attempt. Smoking treatments currently available to Veterans who are not ready to quit are only weakly effective. This project will generate new knowledge about the effectiveness of a promising varenicline-based intervention designed to increase quit attempts and long-term abstinence in Veterans who are initially not ready to quit. This project has great potential to engage Veterans not ready to quit smoking in treatment that increases quit attempts and quitting success, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality caused by smoking in Veterans.
What is being tested
- Motivation-Phase Varenicline (drug)
- Motivation-Phase Nicotine Mini-Lozenge (drug)
- Cessation-Phase Combination Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) (drug)
- Cessation-Phase Varenicline (drug)
- Motivation-Phase Counseling (behavioral)
- Cessation-Phase Counseling (behavioral)
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Participants: 400 · Started: Aug 17, 2026
Contact the study team
- Jessica M Cook, PhD · Phone: (608) 256-1901
- Elana G Brubaker, MSW BS · Phone: (608) 256-1901
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06966362
Locations in the U.S.
| California | VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, San Diego |
| Minnesota | Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, Minneapolis |
| North Carolina | Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, Durham |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.