The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of smoking cessation medications on alcohol drinking. Effect of 2mg/day, 1mg/day, placebo varenicline was evaluated.

Following 7 days of medication pre-treatment to achieve steady state levels, participants complete a laboratory session assessing alcohol self-administration behavior.

Study enrolls heavy drinking smokers (not tested under nicotine deprivation), non-daily smokers, and nonsmokers. Volunteers are administered either varenicline (Chantix) or placebo.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 21 years old or older
• Able to read and write in English
• Smokers, non-daily smokers, and non-smokers
• Heavy Drinkers and/or meet criteria for alcohol use disorders

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any significant current medical or psychiatric conditions that would contraindicate the consumption of alcohol
• Significant hepatocellular injury
• Positive test result at intake appointments on urine drug screens conducted for opiates, cocaine, or benzodiazepines
• Women who are pregnant or nursing
• Suicidal, homicidal, or evidence of severe mental illness
• Prescription of any psychotropic drug in the 30 days prior to study enrollment
• Blood donation within the past 8 weeks
• Individuals who are seeking treatment for drinking or smoking or who have attempted to quit drinking or smoking within the past 3 months
• Specific exclusions for administration of bupropion not specified above including: having taken monoamine inhibitors in the past six weeks; history of anorexia or bulimia; previous hypersensitivity to bupropion; history of alcohol or drug dependence in the past year; history of seizure disorder of any etiology
• Known allergy to varenicline or taking H2blockers
• Participation within the past 8 weeks in other studies that involve additive blood sampling and/or interventional measures that would be considered excessive in combination with the current study
• Subjects likely to exhibit clinically significant alcohol withdrawal during the study

Titration period (8 days).

All adverse events reported during 1 week medication period. Baseline reporting not controlled. Subjects were queried about the presence/absence of severity of common symptoms (>5% from placebo according to manufacturer) associated with varenicline. Adverse events assessed on Day 1, 2, 5, and Day 8.