A cross-sectional survey on cannabis: Characterizing motives, opinions, and subjective experiences associated with the use of various oral cannabis products.
Ashley N Dowd, C Austin Zamarripa, Dennis J Sholler, Justin C Strickland, Elia Goffi, Jacob T Borodovsky, Elise M Weerts, Ryan Vandrey, Tory R Spindle
Drug and Alcohol Dependence February 26, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109826 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 370 |
| Population | Adults who use oral cannabis products, recruited as a convenience sample via a web-based survey |
| Topics | Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Humans Ethanol Cannabinoids Oils Analgesics Hallucinogens Cross-sectional studies Adult Cannabinoid receptor agonists Dronabinol Edible Cross-sectional survey Cannabidiol CBD |
| Key findings | Baked goods and gummy candies were the most frequently consumed oral cannabis products in the past year (68% and 63%). Oils and tinctures were used more for therapeutic purposes and less for enjoyment than other product types, and self-reported cannabinoid content varied widely. Participants reported stronger, longer-lasting effects on an empty stomach, and 43% had received advice to eat a snack or meal to mitigate strong effects, which the authors say contrasts with controlled studies; 43% also reported sometimes modifying their experience with alcohol. |
Abstract
Background: Cannabis-infused products available for oral consumption include food and drink items (i.e., edibles) (e.g., baked goods, gummy-, chocolate-, and hard-candies, beverages/drinks) as well as non-food formulations (e.g., oils/tinctures, pills/capsules). This study characterized the motives, opinions, and subjective experiences associated with the use of these seven subtypes of oral cannabis products.
Methods: This web-based survey collected cross-sectional, self-report data from a convenience sample of 370 adults regarding various use-motives, self-reported cannabinoid content, subjective experiences, and opinions related to ingesting oral cannabis products with alcohol and/or food. Advice participants had received about modifying oral cannabis product effects, in general, was also collected.
Results: Participants reported consuming cannabis baked goods and gummy candies most frequently over the past year (68% and 63%, respectively). Participants were less likely to use oils/tinctures for enjoyment/desire relative to other product types and more likely to use oils/tinctures for therapeutic purposes (e.g., medication-replacement). Self-reported cannabinoid content was highly variable across participants and within product subtype. Participants reported feeling stronger and longer-lasting effects when consuming oral cannabis products on an empty stomach and 43% received advice to "eat a snack or meal" to mitigate effects that are too strong, which contrasts with controlled studies. Finally, 43% of participants reported modifying their experiences with alcohol at least some of time.
Conclusions: These findings underscore the need to further evaluate use-motives as well as the interaction between dietary factors, cannabinoid pharmacokinetics, and subjective drug effects and the interactive effects of oral cannabis products and alcohol in a controlled laboratory setting.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabis use before age 15 and subsequent executive functioning 104 chronic cannabis users (49 early-onset before age 15, 55 late-onset after age 15)... | 2011 | Observational cross-sectional study | n = 148 |
| Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Drug-using university students | 2006 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 149 |
| Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey Online survey respondents | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | |
| User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study Users of hallucinogenic drugs who completed a web-based questionnaire | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 600 |
| Illicit Use of LSD or Psilocybin, but not MDMA or Nonpsychedelic Drugs, is Associated with Mystical Experiences in a Dose-Dependent Manner Adults recruited from the MAPS website and newsletter, most reporting use of various... | 2012 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 337 |