Effects of oral THC maintenance on smoked marijuana self-administration.
Carl L. Hart, Margaret Haney, Amie S Ward, Marian W Fischman, Richard W Foltin
Drug and Alcohol Dependence August 1, 2002 DOI: 10.1016/s0376-8716(02)00084-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized, counterbalanced, placebo-controlled residential study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Healthy research volunteers |
| Interventions | Delta(9)-THC smoked marijuana |
| Dose | oral Delta(9)-THC capsules 0, 10, 20 mg q.i.d.; smoked marijuana cigarette 1.8% Delta(9)-THC w/w |
| Duration | 18-day residential study; each oral THC dose condition lasted 3 consecutive days followed by 3 consecutive days of matching placebo |
| Measures | 'Good Drug Effect' rating, 'High' rating, total daily caloric intake, psychomotor task performance |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key points | Oral Delta(9)-THC maintenance (10 or 20 mg four times daily) did not significantly alter participants' choice to self-administer smoked marijuana compared with placebo. Some positive subjective effects of the sample marijuana cigarette, including 'Good Drug Effect' and 'High', were significantly reduced by day 3 of active THC. Smoked marijuana-related daily caloric intake and psychomotor performance were not significantly altered. |
Abstract
Studies have shown that the Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC) concentration in marijuana cigarettes is an important factor for the maintenance of marijuana self-administration. Yet, the impact of oral Delta(9)-THC treatment on marijuana self-administration is unknown. Because other agonist therapies have been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of substance use disorders, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of oral Delta(9)-THC maintenance on choice to self-administer smoked marijuana. During this 18-day residential study, 12 healthy research volunteers received one of three doses of oral Delta(9)-THC capsules (0, 10, 20 mg q.i.d.) for 3 consecutive days, followed by 3 consecutive days of matching placebo. The order of active Delta(9)-THC administration was counterbalanced. Each morning, except on days 6, 12, and 18, participants smoked the 'sample' marijuana cigarette (1.8% Delta(9)-THC w/w) and received a $2 voucher (redeemable for cash at study's end). Following the sample, volunteers participated in a four-trial choice procedure during which they had the opportunity to self-administer either the dose of marijuana they sampled that morning or to receive the $2 voucher. Relative to placebo Delta(9)-THC maintenance, participants' choice to self-administer marijuana was not significantly altered by either of the two active Delta(9)-THC maintenance conditions. Some 'positive' subjective drug-effect ratings following the sample marijuana cigarette were reduced: by day 3 of active oral Delta(9)-THC maintenance, participants' rating of 'Good Drug Effect' and 'High' were significantly decreased. Smoked marijuana-related total daily caloric intake was not significantly altered under any maintenance conditions. Finally, the effects of smoked marijuana on psychomotor task performance were only minimally affected by oral Delta(9)-THC maintenance. These data indicate that participants' choice to self-administer marijuana was unaltered by the oral Delta(9)-THC dosing regimen used in the present investigation.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment Healthy participants | 2012 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 48 |
| Distinct Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Neural Activation During Emotional Processing Healthy, English-native, right-handed men who had used cannabis 15 times or less in... | 2009 | Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial | n = 15 |
| Acute Effects of a Single, Oral dose of d9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) Administration in Healthy Volunteers Healthy male subjects | 2012 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 16 |
| Modulation of Mediotemporal and Ventrostriatal Function in Humans by Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Healthy, native English-speaking, right-handed men of white race/ethnicity who had used... | 2009 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 15 |
| Cannabidiol (CBD) content in vaporized cannabis does not prevent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced impairment of driving and cognition Healthy volunteers with a history of light cannabis use | 2019 | Randomized, double-blind, within-subjects crossover | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Cannabis use and the development of tolerance: a systematic review of human evidence. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews October 2018
- The effect of high-dose dronabinol (oral THC) maintenance on cannabis self-administration. Drug and Alcohol Dependence June 1, 2018
- Effect of oral THC pretreatment on marijuana cue-induced responses in cannabis dependent volunteers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence April 1, 2015
- The dose effects of short-term dronabinol (oral THC) maintenance in daily cannabis users. Drug and Alcohol Dependence February 1, 2013
- Dronabinol for the treatment of cannabis dependence: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Drug and Alcohol Dependence July 1, 2011
and 3 more in the library
Cites 3
- Effects of acute smoked marijuana on complex cognitive performance. Neuropsychopharmacology November 2001
- Abstinence symptoms following oral THC administration to humans. Psychopharmacology February 1, 1999
- Reinforcing properties of oral delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, smoked marijuana, and nabilone: influence of previous marijuana use. Psychopharmacology 1984