This Common Antidepressant Can Help Cut Back Methamphetamine Use

About 7.4 million people worldwide are dependent on or addicted to methamphetamine.

There are no medications approved anywhere to treat methamphetamine dependence.

Mirtazapine is a cheap, safe, and widely available antidepressant that has been used for years.

Two outpatient trials in San Francisco found mirtazapine reduced methamphetamine use.

The trials were small (60 and 120 participants), enrolled men and transgender women who had sex with men (at risk of HIV); women and people with depression were excluded.