News Release

What are effects of smoked, vaporized marijuana in infrequent adult users?

Peer-Reviewed Publication

JAMA Network

Bottom Line: Researchers compared the effects of smoked versus vaporized cannabis at two different doses and a placebo dose in a small study of 17 healthy adults who weren't regular cannabis users. Participants felt the effects of smoked and vaporized cannabis at a 10-mg dose of the psychoactive component THC, including modest cognitive impairment, while a 25-mg dose of THC produced more pronounced drug effects and substantial impairment of cognitive and psychomotor functioning. Vaporized cannabis produced stronger drug effects on users and higher blood concentrations of THC compared with equal doses of smoked cannabis. The study was limited by a small range of doses.

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Authors: Ryan Vandrey, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, and coauthors

Related Material: The invited commentary, "Peering Through the Haze of Smoked vs Vaporized Cannabis--To Vape or Not to Vape?" by Nadia Solowij, Ph.D., University of Wollongong, Australia, also is available on the For The Media website.

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.4841)

Editor's Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.4841

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.


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