Cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonists for smoking cessation

Objectives: • To determine whether selective CB1 receptor antagonists (currently rimonabant and taranabant) increase the numbers of people stopping smoking • To assess their effects on weight change in successful quitters and in those who try to quit but fail. Conclusions: From the trial reports available, rimonabant 20 mg may increase the chances of quitting approximately 1½-fold. The evidence for rimonabant in maintaining abstinence is inconclusive. Rimonabant 20 mg may moderate weight gain in the long term. Taranabant 2-8 mg may moderate weight gain, at least in the short term. In 2008, development of both rimonabant and taranabant was discontinued by the manufacturers.