Cannabis Observational Study on Mood, Inflammation, and Cognition (COSMIC)

July 8, 2021 updated by: University of Colorado, Denver

Marijuana Harm Reduction: Innovative Strategies for Developing New Knowledge

This project examines the effects of cannabis on cognition and other domains of function and whether those effects are dependent upon the ratio of THC to CBD in the product. Current cannabis users are asked to stop using their typical product and to use cannabis containing different ratios of the cannabinoids THC and CBD. Participants complete baseline assessments including cognitive tasks, clinical measures, substance use history, and blood draw. Participants then acquire and use their study strain on their own, and after a period of use the mobile pharmacology laboratory goes to a location of their choosing. They complete cognitive, motor and blood-based assessments, then leave the mobile lab to use their study product one last time, returning to the mobile lab to complete cognitive, motor, and blood-based assessments immediately after use and one hour after use. A small subset of participants complete all of these procedures but use edible as opposed to flower-based products.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

Cannabis research can be dated back to the 1970's where standardized smoking of low potency cannabis in a laboratory setting has been the primary method used to understand the effects of the drug. The objective of this program is to use a naturalistic design to advance a more nuanced understanding of the potential outcomes associated with using different strains of marijuana. Researchers need to understand the effects of commonly used cannabis strains, as they are used in every day life. Commonly available strains of cannabis sold in dispensaries in Colorado have 3-5 times greater potency of cannabinoids, such as the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), than what has been used in laboratory settings. It is possible that laboratory based studies underestimate the effects of more potent strains that are widely available. Also, scientists have focused on the effects of THC while mostly ignoring other major cannabinoids (e.g. cannabidiol or CBD) and their synergistic relationship.

The objective of this study is to observe how different strains of marijuana, based off their unique cannabinoid content, can influence your mental and physical state in real time. This program will allow researchers to observe these effects immediately before and after cannabis use. A participant will use cannabis in the comfort of their home, and will walk out their front door and into a mobile lab that will be parked outside of their house. In this study, there is no need to smoke and drive.

Participation is this study involves one appointment at the laboratory facility in Boulder and one appointment in the mobile laboratory.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

421

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Colorado
      • Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045
        • University of Colorado Denver

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years to 70 years (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Community Sample

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Have prior experience with edibles
  • Have used marijuana in the past month. This includes any form of marijuana consumption including flower, oil, wax, tinctures and edibles
  • Not using other drugs (cocaine, opiates, methamphetamine) in the past 60 days
  • Light alcohol use

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently using a strain with greater than 1% CBD or less than 18% THC
  • A University of Colorado student or employee
  • Heavy tobacco use
  • Are currently pregnant
  • In treatment for psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Blood Cannabinoid Concentration
Time Frame: Change over 3 time points over 5 days: Baseline (before 5 days of use), Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute use), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute use).
To test the hypothesis that a high delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) strain of marijuana will be associated with greater blood levels of THC and greater harmful effects, we will measure the concentrations of the cannabinoid THC in blood (ng/ml).
Change over 3 time points over 5 days: Baseline (before 5 days of use), Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute use), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute use).
Change in Inflammation: Circulating Levels of cytokines (panel of inflammatory markers)
Time Frame: Change over 3 time points over 5 days: Baseline (before 5 days of use), Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute use), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute use).
Change in inflammation from before to after cannabis use will be tested in relation to THC and CBD blood levels.
Change over 3 time points over 5 days: Baseline (before 5 days of use), Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute use), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute use).
The Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ)
Time Frame: Change over 2 time points over 1 hour: Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute self-administration), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute self-administration).
The DEQ is a 5 items visual analog scale used to measure the strength of marijuana as well as the desirable effects (de Wit & Phillips, 2012).
Change over 2 time points over 1 hour: Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute self-administration), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute self-administration).
The Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI)
Time Frame: Change over 2 time points over 1 hour: Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute self-administration), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute self-administration).
The ARCI (Martin, Sloan, Sapira, & Jasinski, 1971), including the ARCI-Marijuana (M) scale (Chait, Fischman, & Schuster, 1985) will be used to measure subjective effects of marijuana in addition to drug-induced euphoria, stimulant-like effects, intellectual efficiency and energy, sedation, dysphoria, and other somatic effects.
Change over 2 time points over 1 hour: Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute self-administration), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute self-administration).
Profile of Mood States (POMS)
Time Frame: Change over 3 time points over 5 days: Baseline (before 5 days of use), Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute use), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute use).
The Profile of Mood States (POMS) will be used to collect baseline information on mood as well as information on mood changes throughout the study. (Johanson & Uhlenhuth, 1980; McNair, Lorr, & Droppleman, 1971)
Change over 3 time points over 5 days: Baseline (before 5 days of use), Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute use), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute use).
Cognitive Impairment
Time Frame: Change over 3 time points over 5 days: Baseline (before 5 days of use), Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute use), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute use).
Co-outcomes testing multiple domains of thinking, memory, and perception (NIH Toolbox), including the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Task, Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test, the Picture Sequence Memory Test, the List Sorting Working Memory Test, and immediate and delayed recall via the International Shopping List Test (ISLT). Cognitive outcomes are measured in standard scores (e.g. Range of >70 to >140 (Mean of 100 and SD of 15) with higher scores indicating better performance) and can be averaged to reflect a standard score of overall cognitive function.
Change over 3 time points over 5 days: Baseline (before 5 days of use), Pre-Administration (after 5 days of use but prior to acute use), and Post-Administration (after 5 days of use but 60 minutes after acute use).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Colorado, Denver

Collaborators

University of Colorado, Boulder

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kent Hutchison, PhD, University of Colorado, Denver

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (ACTUAL)

July 1, 2016

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

December 15, 2020

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

December 15, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 30, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 30, 2018

First Posted (ACTUAL)

May 11, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ACTUAL)

July 12, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 8, 2021

Last Verified

July 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 20-2547

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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