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Cannabis AbuseExIT-CNCT07091292

Exercise Intervention as Treatment for People Using Cannabis (ExIT-C)

A study testing Indoor Cycling in people with Cannabis Abuse and Cannabis Dependence, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

In Hong Kong, although the total number of drug abusers is trending down in recent years, the number of cannabis users continues to surge. The misuse of cannabis, if left unattended, predisposes various degrees of dependence and use disorders, which could later on induce psychotic disorders and schizophrenia. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 40 years
What is being tested?
Indoor Cycling
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
60 participants
Where
1 siteHong Kong
Study dates
2 Jul 2025to Dec 2028
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 40 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Young adults of 18-40 years old
  • Able to read and communicate in English and/or Chinese
  • Able to give informed consent
  • Using cannabis or marijuana as the primary psychoactive substance of abuse
  • Suffering from cannabis addiction, defined by:
  • Cannabis Dependence with an SDS score ≥ 3, or ii. Cannabis Use Disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-5), or iii. Cannabis Harmful Use or Dependence according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) or Clinical descriptions and diagnostic requirements for International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Who cannot join

  • Age < 18 or > 40 years old
  • Unable to read English or Chinese
  • Unable to give informed consent
  • Absolute and/or relative contraindications to exercise training as indicated by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+) and the electronic Physical Activity Readiness Medical Examination (ePARmed-X+)
  • Had been diagnosed with the following disorders, including:
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders DSM-5: Intellectual Disabilities, Communication Disorders, Specific Learning Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Motor Disorders ICD-11: Disorders of intellectual development (6A00), Developmental speech or language disorders (6A01), Autism spectrum disorder (6A02), Developmental learning disorder (6A03), Developmental motor coordination disorder (6A04), Stereotyped movement disorder (6A06), Primary tics or tic disorders (8A05.0) ii. Other DSM-5 defined Substance Use Disorder greater than mild in severity (i.e., severity score ≥ 2), except for tobacco or caffeine iii. Neurocognitive Disorders (DSM-5, or ICD-11 6D70-72 \& 6D80-86)

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Albert KK Chung, MBBS(HK) contact

+852-2255-4486

chungkka@hku.hk

Hong Kong1 site, 1 recruiting

  • Queen Mary Hospital

    Hong Kong

    Albert KK Chung, MBBS(HK), +852-2255-3067, chungkka@hku.hk

    Recruiting

Other trials in Hong Kong

About this study

Official title: Exercise Intervention as Treatment for People Using Cannabis (ExIT-C)-a Randomized Controlled Trial to Investigate the Effectiveness of Aerobic Exercise on Cannabis Dependence and Use Disorder

In Hong Kong, although the total number of drug abusers is trending down in recent years, the number of cannabis users continues to surge. The misuse of cannabis, if left unattended, predisposes various degrees of dependence and use disorders, which could later on induce psychotic disorders and schizophrenia. Effective strategies combating cannabis dependence and cannabis use disorder (CUD) are therefore warranted.

Exercise presents as a low-cost and low-stigma alternative to traditional pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in the treatment of substance use disorders, which also promotes physical well-being with virtually no side effects. While exercise has some success in treating use disorders of stimulants, alcohol, and tobacco, evidence of its effects on CUD remains scarce. Hence, the present study will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of a 12-week aerobic exercise training regimen on reducing cannabis dependence and the severity of CUD.

Read more

Participants with cannabis dependence will be randomly assigned to either the exercise or the control group. Participants assigned to the exercise group will partake in a 12-week aerobic exercise training program of vigorous-intensity using indoor bikes, whereas those assigned to the control group will perform sham exercise of very light-intensity on indoor bikes. The 12-week study is divided into three (3) 4-week phases:

  1. Intensive Intervention - all participants will exercise twice a week under supervision.
  2. Active Intervention - all participants will exercise once a week under supervision.
  3. Passive Maintenance - no supervised exercise sessions will be provided. All participants will receive exercise reminders via weekly text messages.

Cannabis use-related, cognitive, and physical outcomes will be assessed every 4 weeks, whereas withdrawal symptoms will be assessed and urine quick test administered every week.

Being tested
Indoor Cycling
Keywords
exercise, cannabis, cannabis use disorder, cannabis dependence, substance abuse
Medical subject headings
Marijuana Abuse, Motor Activity, Substance-Related Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Indoor CyclingBehavioural

    Indoor cycling at 60-70% HR reserve for 30 minutes.

  • Indoor CyclingBehavioural

    Indoor cycling at 20-30% HR reserve for 30 minutes.

Study groups in NCT07091292
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Exercise Intervention Treatment (ExIT) GroupExperimentalNot described
Receives: Behavioral: Indoor Cycling
Sham-exercise Control (SCN) GroupSham comparatorNot described
Receives: Behavioral: Indoor Cycling

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Clinical Diagnosis of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD)

    Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders (SCID-5) is used to ascertain the diagnosis and severity of CUD

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  2. Psychological Dependence on Cannabis

    Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) is used to assess psychological dependence on cannabis

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

Secondary outcomes (14)

  1. Urine Toxicology Test

    Drug of Abuse Urine Test Kits is used to ascertain recent use of cannabis and/or other substances

    Measured: At enrollment and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  2. Cannabis Craving

    Marijuana Craving Questionnaire - Short Form (MCQ-SF) is used to assess cannabis craving

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  3. Cannabis Problems

    Cannabis Problems Questionnaire (CPQ) is used to assess cannabis-related problems

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  4. Cannabis Withdrawal

    Cannabis Withdrawal Scale (CWS) is used to assess cannabis withdrawal symptoms

    Measured: At enrollment and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  5. Self-Efficacy in Cannabis Use Reduction

    Marijuana Reduction Strategies Self-Efficacy Scale (MRSSES) is used to assess self-efficacy in reducing cannabis use

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  6. Self-reported Substance Use History

    The frequency and amount of cannabis and substance use in the past 30 days is recorded

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  7. Global Cognitive Function

    Montreal Cognitive Assessment - HK version (MoCA-HK) is used to assess global cognitive function

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  8. Psychomotor Speed

    Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) is used to assess psychomotor speed

    Measured: At enrollment and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  9. Body weight (in kg)

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  10. Height (in cm)

    Measured: At enrollment

  11. Waist circumference (in cm)

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  12. Cardiopulmonary Capacity

    Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) is measured to assess cardiopulmonary capacity

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  13. Resting Energy Expenditure

    Measured: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment

  14. Self-reported Physical Activity Participation

    International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF) is used to record the 7-day physical activity participation

    Measured: At enrollment and 9, 10, 11, and 12 weeks after enrollment

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted29 Jul 2025
  2. Study start2 Jul 2025
  3. Primary completionDec 2028 (estimated)
  4. Study completionDec 2028 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
60 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07091292
Sponsor's protocol ID
UW 25-122
Acronym
ExIT-C
Status last verified
Apr 2025
First submitted
7 Jul 2025
Last updated
29 Jul 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Indoor Cycling in people with Cannabis Abuse and Cannabis Dependence, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Jul 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Albert KK Chung, MBBS(HK) (+852-2255-4486, chungkka@hku.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Clinical Diagnosis of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) (time frame: At enrollment and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after enrollment). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07091292.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Jul 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 1 Nov 2026.

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