Just say 'know': how do cannabinoid concentrations influence users' estimates of cannabis potency and the amount they roll in joints?
Tom P. Freeman, Celia J. A. Morgan, Chandni Hindocha, Gráinne Schäfer, Ravi Das, Helen Valerie Curran
Addiction October 2014 DOI: 10.1111/add.12634 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional, naturalistic observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 247 |
| Population | Cannabis users in the United Kingdom: 152 'recreational' (1-24 days/month) and 95 'daily' (25 or more days/month) |
| Topics | Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Daily Harm reduction Potency Quantity Recreational Titration |
| Key findings | THC concentrations were negatively related to the amount of cannabis used (b = -0.009), indicating users titrate the amount they roll in joints according to THC but not CBD. Potency estimates were predicted by increasing THC and decreasing CBD, mediated by cannabis type, and were 7.3 times more reflective of THC in daily users (partial r = 0.381) than recreational users (r = 0.052). The authors argue recreational users show poor understanding of cannabis potency. |
Abstract
(1) To determine whether measured concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in individuals' own cannabis predict their estimates of drug potency and actual titration; and (2) to ascertain if these effects are influenced by frequency of use and cannabis type. Cross-sectional, naturalistic. Participants' own homes. A total of 247 cannabis users in the United Kingdom: 152 'recreational' (1-24 days/month) and 95 'daily' (≥25 days/month). Participants rated their own cannabis for its potency (1-10) and type ('resin', 'herbal', 'skunk') before smoking it in front of the researcher. The amount of cannabis (g) used in their joints was recorded and an additional sample was analysed for THC and CBD concentrations (%). THC concentrations were related negatively to the amount of cannabis used [unstandardized regression coefficient: b = -0.009, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.017, -0.002]. Potency estimates were predicted by increasing THC (b = 0.055, 95% CI = 0.020, 0.090) and decreasing CBD (b = -0.160, 95% CI = -0.284, -0.062), and both of these associations were mediated by cannabis type (THC: b = 0.018, 95% CI = 0.006, 0.037; CBD: b = -0.105, 95% CI = -0.198, -0.028). Potency estimates were more reflective of THC as frequency of use increased (b = 0.004, 95% CI = 0.001, 0.007) and were 7.3 times more so in daily (partial r = 0.381) than recreational users (r = 0.052). When using their own cannabis in a naturalistic setting, people titrate the amount they roll in joints according to concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) but not cannabidiol (CBD). Recreational users thus show poor understanding of cannabis potency.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 29
- Acute and chronic effects of cannabinoids on effort-related decision-making and reward learning: an evaluation of the cannabis ‘amotivational’ hypotheses Psychopharmacology September 2, 2016
- Are adolescents more vulnerable to the harmful effects of cannabis than adults? A placebo-controlled study in human males Translational Psychiatry November 29, 2016
- Daily use of high-potency cannabis is associated with more positive symptoms in first-episode psychosis patients: the EU-GEI case–control study Psychological Medicine March 18, 2020
- Dissociable effects of cannabis with and without cannabidiol on the human brain’s resting-state functional connectivity Journal of Psychopharmacology April 23, 2019
- Cannabis Dampens the Effects of Music in Brain Regions Sensitive to Reward and Emotion The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology August 30, 2017
and 24 more in the library
Cites 11
- High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis The British Journal of Psychiatry November 30, 2009
- Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment Journal of Psychopharmacology October 5, 2012
- Sub-chronic impact of cannabinoids in street cannabis on cognition, psychotic-like symptoms and psychological well-being Psychological Medicine February 1, 2012
- Cannabis with high cannabidiol content is associated with fewer psychotic experiences. Schizophrenia Research August 2011
- Impact of cannabidiol on the acute memory and psychotomimetic effects of smoked cannabis: naturalistic study: naturalistic study [corrected]. The British Journal of Psychiatry October 2010
and 6 more in the library