Trial Outcomes & Findings for Comparison Between Marijuana Smoked in Cigarette Paper Versus Cigar Paper (NCT NCT00374127)

NCT ID: NCT00374127

Last Updated: 2017-09-01

Results Overview

Plasma THC levels were analyzed to determine pharmacokinetic differences between marijuana cigarettes vs marijuana blunts.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE2

Target enrollment

35 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

180 minutes

Results posted on

2017-09-01

Participant Flow

Normal, healthy volunteers ages 21-45 were recruited through newspaper advertisements and those who met inclusion/exclusion criteria after an initial phone screen were invited to the laboratory for further screening.

Prior to enrollment, participants gave written informed consent, received a psychiatric and medical evaluation, and provided a detailed drug use and medical history.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Marijuana
marijuana blunt (0%, 1.8%, or 3.6% THC) vs. marijuana cigarette (0%, 1.8%, or 3.6% THC)
Overall Study
STARTED
35
Overall Study
COMPLETED
24
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
11

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
Marijuana
marijuana blunt (0%, 1.8%, or 3.6% THC) vs. marijuana cigarette (0%, 1.8%, or 3.6% THC)
Overall Study
Did not inhale during smoking procedure.
3
Overall Study
Blood could not be drawn.
2
Overall Study
Protocol Violation
5
Overall Study
Pregnancy
1

Baseline Characteristics

Comparison Between Marijuana Smoked in Cigarette Paper Versus Cigar Paper

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Marijuana
n=24 Participants
marijuana blunt (0%, 1.8%, or 3.6% THC) vs. marijuana cigarette (0%, 1.8%, or 3.6% THC)
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
24 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Continuous
25.5 years
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
12 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
12 Participants
n=5 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
24 participants
n=5 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 180 minutes

Population: Twenty four participants were included in this within-subjects analysis.

Plasma THC levels were analyzed to determine pharmacokinetic differences between marijuana cigarettes vs marijuana blunts.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Marijuana Blunt 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 3.6% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 3.6% THC.
Plasma THC
6 ng/mL
Standard Deviation 1
53 ng/mL
Standard Deviation 2
70 ng/mL
Standard Deviation 2
7 ng/mL
Standard Deviation 1
80 ng/mL
Standard Deviation 3
98 ng/mL
Standard Deviation 3

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 180 minutes

Population: Twenty four participants were included in this within-subjects analysis.

Using the Marijuana Rating Form (MRF), subjective effects of "Take Again", "Liking", and "Strong" were assessed. The MRF is a visual analog scale allowing patients to indicate how they feel on a 100-mm line anchored with 'not at all' at the left end and 'extremely' at the right end, when prompted by a statement.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Marijuana Blunt 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 3.6% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 3.6% THC.
Subjective Effects on MRF
"Take Again"
23 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
28 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
36 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
12 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
45 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
54 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
Subjective Effects on MRF
"Liking"
18 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
30 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
33 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
10 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
45 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
55 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
Subjective Effects on MRF
"Strong"
10 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
17 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
29 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
5 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
30 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
42 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 180 minutes

Population: Twenty-four participants were included in this analysis.

Subjective VAS ratings of 'Good Drug Effect' and 'High' averaged across all post-smoking time points when marijuana was smoked as joints and blunts analyzed for all participants. Here, participants indicated how they were feeling on a 100-mm line anchored with 'not at all' at the left end and 'extremely' at the right end, when prompted by a statement

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Marijuana Blunt 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 3.6% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 3.6% THC.
Subjective Effects on VAS
High
7 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
10 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
20 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
3 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
23 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
30 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
Subjective Effects on VAS
Good Drug Effect
10 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
29 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
33 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
4 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4
28 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.5
37 Ratings (mm)
Standard Deviation 0.4

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 180 minutes

Population: Twenty-four participants were included in this analysis.

Expired carbon monoxide averaged across all post-smoking time points when marijuana was smoked as joints and blunts for all participants.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Marijuana Blunt 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 3.6% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 3.6% THC.
Carbon Monoxide
5.9 ppm
Standard Deviation 0.5
6.4 ppm
Standard Deviation 0.4
5.8 ppm
Standard Deviation 0.5
5.5 ppm
Standard Deviation 0.4
5.9 ppm
Standard Deviation 0.5
5.3 ppm
Standard Deviation 0.4

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 180 minutes

Population: Twenty-four participants were included in this analysis.

Heart rate averaged across all post-smoking time points when marijuana was smoked as joints and blunts.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Marijuana Blunt 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Blunt 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana blunt containing 3.6% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 0% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 0% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 1.8% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 1.8% THC.
Marijuana Cigarette 3.6% THC
n=24 Participants
One of six within-subjects conditions where patients received a marijuana cigarette containing 3.6% THC.
Heart Rate
70.5 BPM
Standard Deviation 0.5
72.5 BPM
Standard Deviation 0.4
73 BPM
Standard Deviation 0.5
70.5 BPM
Standard Deviation 0.4
72 BPM
Standard Deviation 0.5
74 BPM
Standard Deviation 0.4

Adverse Events

Marijuana Blunt

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Marijuana Cigarette

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Dr. Meg Haney, Professor of Neurobiology

New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Medical Center

Phone: 6467746153

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place