Study of Effects of Smoked High Potency Cannabis on Behavior and Pain in Adults Aged 21 to 55

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of smoked cannabis containing different amounts of THC in adults aged 21 to 55 who use cannabis nearly daily. The study aims to understand how cannabis with about 50 mg and 100 mg THC compares to a placebo with no THC, especially looking at the immediate and longer-lasting effects after a brief period without cannabis use. The study will also examine how THC is processed in the body and how this relates to behavioral and physical effects. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups a placebo group with no THC, a low dose group with about 50 mg THC, or a high dose group with about 100 mg THC. This is a double-blind trial, so neither participants nor researchers know which group each participant is in during the study. The cannabis will be smoked, and the study is conducted on an outpatient basis. During the study, participants will be monitored for their subjective drug effects and pain relief using the Cold Pressor Test, which measures response to cold water. Blood samples will be taken to analyze THC and its metabolites over three hours. The researchers will track how participants respond to the drug and how their bodies process it. Safety and adherence to procedures will be carefully observed throughout the trial, which is sponsored by the University of California, Los Angeles.

High Potency Cannabis: Acute and Protracted Effects