Pilot Trial of Bupropion Versus Placebo for Methamphetamine Abuse in Adolescents

Inclusion criteria

• age 14 years to 21 years of age, inclusive;
• meet DSM-IV criteria for methamphetamine abuse or dependence as determined by the K-SADS-PL;
• seeking treatment for MA problems;
• report MA use on 18 or fewer of the past 30 days at baseline;
• willing and able to comply with study procedures;
• willing and able to provide informed assent (for youth <18 yr) or consent (for youth ≥18 yr) and parents willing to provide informed consent (for youth <18) to participate in the project; and
• able to complete study assessments in English due to the lack of some measures in Spanish;
• if female, not pregnant or lactating and willing to use an acceptable method of barrier birth control (e.g. condoms) during the trial.

Exclusion criteria

• have a medical condition that, in the study physician's judgment, may interfere with safe study participation (e.g., active TB, unstable cardiac, renal, or liver disease, unstable diabetes);
• have a current neurological disorder (e.g., organic brain disease, dementia) or major psychiatric disorder not due to substance abuse (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) as assessed by the K-SADS-PL other than attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (see below) or a medical history which would make study agent compliance difficult or which would compromise informed consent, or history of suicide attempts in the past year and/or current serious suicidal intention or plan as assessed by the K-SADS-PL;
• currently taking bupropion for depression, smoking cessation or OCD within 30 days of baseline;
• taking any prescription medication for ADHD;
• currently on prescription medication that is contraindicated for use with bupropion;
• have current dependence on cocaine, opiates, alcohol, or benzodiazepines as defined by DSM-IV-TR;
• have a self-reported history of a seizure disorder or serious closed head injury;
• have a medical condition (such as serious head injury) that is associated with increased risk of seizures or on a medication that lowers the seizure threshold;
• have a current or past history of anorexia or bulimia;
• body weight less than 50kgs;
• have current hypertension uncontrolled by medication;
• have a history of sensitivity to bupropion; and
• any other circumstances that, in the opinion of the investigators, would compromise participant safety.