Evaluating Cannabidiol as a Novel Anticraving Medication for Alcohol Use Disorder

Participation Requirements

• Sex:

  ALL

• Eligible Ages:

  19 and up

Participation Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Meets DSM-5 criteria for AUD.
* Meets drinking criteria of average weekly consumption \> 10 standard drinks for women and \> 15 standard drinks for men over the past 90 days.
* Willing to take study medication and participate in laboratory sessions requiring self-administration of alcohol
* Agrees not to use cannabis or illicit drugs during the study period.
* Able to communicate and provide informed consent in English.
* Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Transaminase (AST) level should not be more than 2 times the upper normal limit, and bilirubin should not be more than 1.5 times the upper normal limit.
* Enrolled in the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
* Willing and able to safely abstain from alcohol for at least 12 hours prior to the eligibility and alcohol self-administration visit.
* Individuals who are capable of becoming pregnant: agree to the use of highly effective contraception during study participation and for an additional 28 days after the end of cannabidiol administration.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA-Ar) score of 10 or above upon initial assessment
* History of severe alcohol withdrawal including withdrawal seizures, alcoholic hallucinosis, or delirium tremens
* Any history of seizures
* Serious unstable medical condition, including severe hepatic abnormalities
* Having any clinical condition, drug sensitivity, or prior therapy which, in the investigator's opinion, makes the participant unsuitable for the study
* Current medical conditions, prescriptions, or over the counter medications that interfere with receiving the study drug or alcohol (based on the study physician's assessment)
* Severe mental illness (e.g. active psychosis with ongoing delusions and/or hallucinations, active manic or hypomanic episodes, evidence of a major neurocognitive disorder, etc.) and other substance use disorders (moderate or severe; excluding tobacco use disorder) as determined by the qualified investigator
* Experiencing active suicidal ideation within the past 1 month and/or suicide attempt within the past 6 months
* Recent recreational drug use (assessed via urine toxicology screen) other than alcohol and nicotine products
* Current use of CBD products or use of CBD products within the past month.
* History of hypersensitivity to CBD
* Self-report of significant alcohol-induced flushing after 1-2 drinks (a proxy for aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency)
* Currently pregnant or breastfeeding or intending to become pregnant or breastfeed.
* Currently institutionalized which refers to a person who lives in an institutional collective dwelling, such as a hospital, nursing home or prison, including a resident under custody (e.g., patient or inmate).
* Currently in treatment for AUD (e.g. Alcoholics Anonymous, group therapy, individual therapy, on anticraving medication)