Tier 1 — highest

N-acetylcysteine for youth cannabis use disorder: randomized controlled trial main findings

Kevin M Gray, Rachel L Tomko, Nathaniel L Baker, Erin A McClure, Aimee L McRae-Clark, Lindsay M Squeglia
Neuropsychopharmacology 2025 50(5):731-738

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 39910268
PubMed Central
PMC11914066
DOI
10.1038/s41386-025-02061-y
Funding
Funding disclosure was not located in the indexed record reviewed; consult the source publication for the full funding statement.
Competing interests
Competing-interest disclosure was not located in the indexed record reviewed; consult the source publication for the full declaration.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
ModelHuman
Sample192 treatment-seeking youth aged 14-21
InterventionOral NAC 1,200 mg twice daily versus placebo with weekly medical management and brief counseling
Duration12 weeks
EndpointsNegative urine cannabinoid tests; Self-reported abstinence; Cannabis-use frequency; Adverse events

What the study showed, in plain terms

2025 youth cannabis trial testing NAC without the robust contingency-management platform used in the earlier positive adolescent trial.

Key findings

NAC did not improve urine-confirmed abstinence or self-reported abstinence; gastrointestinal adverse events were more common with NAC.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Shows behavioral-treatment context may matter and directly weakens claims that NAC independently treats youth cannabis use disorder.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology