Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
April 2, 2018
Muhammad Waqas, Frederick S. Barrett, Nicolas J. Schlienz et al.
37 citations
A healthy 30-year-old man experienced auditory and visual hallucinations after inhaling vaporized cannabis containing 25 mg of THC in a controlled laboratory study. His scores on the Hallucinogen Rating Scale (HRS) were higher on the Volition, Intensity, Perception, and Somaesthesia subscales compared to maximum doses of cannabis, psilocybin, dextromethorphan, or salvinorin A from other studies. However, his Affect and Cognition subscale scores were lower than those for psilocybin and dextromethorphan, indicating the hallucinatory experience was qualitatively different from classic hallucinogens. The authors suggest cannabis-induced hallucinations may involve a unique pharmacological mechanism and should be considered as a potential adverse event in clinical cannabis use.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
February 27, 2019
Eef L. Theunissen, Nadia R. P. W. Hutten, Natasha L. Mason et al.
22 citations
Synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018, inhaled by 17 healthy cannabis-experienced volunteers in a placebo-controlled crossover study, increased heart rate within the first hour and impaired critical tracking and memory performance. Participants who reported a subjective high (responders) had higher serum concentrations of JWH-018 and performed worse on reaction time tests, with increased confusion, amnesia, dissociation, derealization, depersonalization, and drug liking. Large variability in drug concentrations and subjective experience was observed, likely due to fluctuations in drug delivery, which may raise the risk of overdose among synthetic cannabinoid users.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
December 9, 2022
Lucy Chester, Amir Englund, Edward Chesney et al.
20 citations
Inhaling vaporized cannabis containing 10 mg of THC acutely increased blood levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide by 18% and several related noncannabinoid lipids, but adding 10, 20, or 30 mg of CBD did not alter these effects. Over four sessions spaced about two weeks apart, pre-inhalation levels of anandamide and one related compound progressively declined, possibly due to repeated THC exposure or reduced anxiety. The findings suggest that CBD, at the doses tested, does not modulate THC's acute influence on endocannabinoid concentrations, though higher or chronic CBD doses might have an effect.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
July 26, 2022
Alberto Sainz-Cort, Daniel Jiménez‐garrido, Elena Muñoz Marrón et al.
9 citations
Chronic cannabis users who consumed an extract containing only THC showed lower cognitive empathy than those who consumed only CBD. Participants who consumed only CBD showed higher cognitive theory of mind (the ability to infer others' mental states) compared with placebo. No differences were found on emotional measures of empathy or theory of mind. The study provides evidence that CBD can improve theory-of-mind abilities in chronic cannabis users, suggesting a role for the endocannabinoid system in social cognition and potential relevance for neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
October 1, 2024
Carlton Cb Bone, Charles Klein, Kaelas Munger et al.
6 citations
Most people who use THCO, a semisynthetic cannabinoid derived from hemp, vape it (74.9%), while about a quarter dab it (24.3%) and tend to use higher temperatures than those who vape. A small portion of users (12.0%) expressed concerns about the risk of ketene gas, which can form when THCO is heated and is harmful to the lungs. Because multiple factors influence ketene formation and consumer temperature choices may enable it, more research is needed to understand the harm profile of hemp-derived substances like THCO.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
December 1, 2025
Sara R Westbrook, Allison L Jensen, Vanessa Copeland-Solorzano et al.
2 citations
Vaporized cannabis e-liquid produces stronger effects and higher blood THC levels when mixed with polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG) rather than propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin (PG/VG). In mice, the highest dose tested caused body temperature drops, pain relief, and reduced movement. Adolescents were less sensitive than adults to the movement-suppressing effects, possibly due to lower circulating THC. No sex differences appeared in behavioral responses, but female mice showed slower THC metabolism than males, suggesting sex differences in how cannabis is broken down.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
June 17, 2024
Madeline K Stanger, Harmony O Soffer, Angela D Bryan et al.
1 citation
Among regular cannabis users in Colorado, those who had also used psilocybin in the past three months reported higher cannabis dependence scores and more strongly endorsed using cannabis for enjoyment, boredom, and altered experience than those who had not used psilocybin recently. The correlation between cannabis dependence and the motive of altered experience was stronger for co-users. The findings suggest motivational differences and potentially greater risk of harm for people who co-use cannabis and psilocybin.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
July 8, 2026
Olivier Valentin, Benjamin R Zendel, Philippe Fournier et al.
An online survey of 122 cannabis users found that most viewed combining cannabis with music favorably, reporting enhanced relaxation, improved mood, and increased feelings of connection. Cannabis use was associated with altered responses to music in various settings and a heightened likelihood of using music during routine activities. Participants frequently reported using cannabis as a substitute for pharmaceutical treatments for pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders, with music further amplifying these therapeutic effects. However, no significant differences were observed in overall music reward experiences with or without cannabis, highlighting the nuanced and context-dependent nature of these interactions.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
February 1, 2026
Alejandro Guadalupe Torres, Jordan Santos, Dolores Vazquez Sanroman
Chronic administration of the synthetic cannabinoid WIN55,212-2 during adolescence alters levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in specific brain regions of male adolescent rats. WIN55,212-2 increased pro-BDNF in the cerebellar vermis and mature BDNF in the medial prefrontal cortex, suggesting potential effects on synaptic plasticity and neurodevelopment. The study used male Sprague-Dawley rats given injections of WIN (0.8 mg/kg) or saline every 48 hours from postnatal day 30 to 37, with tissue collected one hour after the final injection.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
February 1, 2026
Meetu Wadhwa, Gregory A Chinn, Katrina Duong et al.
A single injection of THC (5 mg/kg) given to rat pups on the third day after birth caused lasting spatial memory deficits in young adult females but not males. Anxiety-like behavior was unchanged in either sex. Both sexes showed decreased spine density, dendritic length, branching, and complexity in neurons of the frontal cortex and hippocampus (CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus). The results indicate that even brief neonatal cannabinoid exposure can produce long-lasting, sex-dependent cognitive impairment and structural brain changes, highlighting the vulnerability of the developing brain.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
February 1, 2025
Margy Y. Chen, Emily B Kramer, Laurel P Gibson et al.
People who expect cannabis to improve their health tend to report greater acute reductions in tension after smoking cannabis flower, and greater increases in elation and reductions in pain after eating cannabis edibles. Among edible users, expecting cannabis to help with depression was linked to more elation, and expecting it to help with pain was linked to less pain. These expectancy effects occurred regardless of the product's THC and CBD levels, showing that users' beliefs shape some of the subjective effects of legal cannabis.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
December 1, 2024
Alexa Torrens, Alex Mabou Tagne, Adren Tran et al.
Adolescent female mice given Δ9-THC had eight times higher peak plasma concentrations than adult females, but adult females had 25-50% higher brain concentrations and brain-to-plasma ratios. Metabolite levels were higher in plasma but lower in brain of adolescents compared to adults. These age-dependent differences in how the drug is distributed and metabolized may affect its pharmacological effects.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
February 1, 2024
Faiz M Kassim, Sophie Tod, Jennifer Rodger et al.
A single low oral dose of the synthetic cannabinoid nabilone (1-2 mg) impaired both verbal and spatial working memory in healthy adults, with a stronger effect in people who used cannabis less frequently. Spatial working memory was more affected than verbal working memory. The drug did not significantly change psychosis-like experiences (schizotypy scores). However, higher schizotypy scores were linked to worse working memory under placebo, and more frequent cannabis use was associated with better overall working memory across drug conditions, suggesting tolerance to the memory-impairing effects of cannabinoids.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
February 1, 2024
Laurel P Gibson, Raeghan L. Mueller, Evan A Winiger et al.
Regular cannabis users who self-administered commercially available edible products experienced increased intoxication and elation, decreased tension, and no change in paranoia two hours after use. Those who consumed a CBD-dominant product reported less intoxication than those who used a THC-only or THC+CBD product. Participants who used a THC+CBD product consumed less THC and had lower plasma THC levels than those using a THC-only product, yet reported similar positive and psychotomimetic effects. Psychotomimetic effects were very low across all conditions. The findings suggest that edible products containing CBD may allow experienced users to achieve desired effects with lower THC exposure, potentially reducing harm.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
January 22, 2024
L. Bidwell, R. Martin-Willett, Carillon J. Skrzynski et al.
Among people with anxiety symptoms who used cannabis flower about three to four times per week over four weeks, those using CBD-dominant cannabis (24% CBD, <1% THC) reported lower anxiety on the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale compared to those using THC-dominant cannabis (24% THC, <1% CBD), even after accounting for frequency of use. Immediately after use, CBD-dominant cannabis was also linked to lower tension and paranoia ratings than either THC-dominant or balanced THC+CBD (12% each) cannabis. All cannabis groups showed acute improvements in positive mood and some drug effects, and all reported reduced anxiety over the study period. The findings suggest that CBD-dominant forms may offer acute tension reduction that could support longer-term anxiety relief, without THC increasing anxiety.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
January 8, 2024
Timothy G. Freels, S. Westbrook, E. Zamberletti et al.
Adolescent female rats self-administered more vaporized THC-dominant cannabis extract than adolescent males. In adulthood, only females exposed to cannabis during adolescence showed impairments in behavioral flexibility, requiring more trials and making more regressive errors on an attentional set-shifting task, compared to vehicle-exposed rats. These sex differences were not observed when rats received a noncontingent dosing regimen that matched the amount females self-administered. No differences were found in effort-based decision making. In the medial prefrontal cortex, only female cannabis-exposed rats had more reactive microglia, with no changes in myelin basic protein or dendritic spine density. The findings indicate sex-specific long-term effects of adolescent cannabis use on brain structure and behavior.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
August 9, 2023
Abhinandan Banerjee, W. Hosie, Ana Carolina Terso Ventura et al.
A nanoemulsion of THC was created using a solvent displacement technique, yielding droplets of about 190 nm that remained colloidally stable for at least six weeks. The liquid nanoemulsion was converted into a solid powder that could be redispersed in water without phase separation, retaining its THC potency. This solid format is suited for microdosing, a practice that might separate THC's health benefits from its psychotropic effects.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
July 13, 2023
Laurel P Gibson, A. Bryan
Running after using cannabis was associated with a more positive exercise experience among regular cannabis users, despite a slight, non-significant slowing of pace by 31 seconds per mile. Participants reported greater positive affect, tranquility, enjoyment, dissociation, and runner's high symptoms, as well as less negative affect and lower pain after cannabis runs compared to non-cannabis runs. Perceived exertion did not differ between conditions. The form of cannabis, cannabinoid content, and feelings of being high were largely unrelated to the exercise experience. The findings suggest acute cannabis use may enhance the subjective experience of running for regular users.