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In an article entitled "Impact of cannabidiol on the acute memory and psychotomimetic effects of smoked cannabis: naturalistic study" Beckley collaborators Dr Celia Morgan and Prof Valerie Curran found that The two main constituents of cannabis, cannabidiol and D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have opposing effects both pharmacologically and behaviourally when administered in the laboratory. Street cannabis is known to contain varying levels of each cannabinoid.
They investigated how the varying levels of cannabidiol and THC have an impact on the effects of the cannabis in naturalistic settings.
They studied 134 cannabis users, who were tested 7 days apart on measures of memory and psychotomimetic symptoms (symptoms of psychosis), once while they were drug free and once while they were intoxicated using their own smoked cannabis. Using an unprecedented methodology, a sample of cannabis (as well as saliva) was collected from each user and analysed for levels of cannabinoids. On the basis of these results two groups of individuals were directly compared based on the high and low cannabidiol content of cannabis.
They found that groups did not differ in the THC content of the cannabis they smoked. Unlike the marked impairment in prose recall of individuals who smoked cannabis low in cannabidiol, participants smoking cannabis high in cannabidiol showed no memory impairment. Cannabidiol content did not affect psychotomimetic symptoms, which were elevated in both groups when intoxicated.
These findings back up some of the policy issues the Beckley Foundation is engaged with. In a regulated market cannabis could be produced that had a balanced THC/CBD content, which would minimise the harms associated with its use.
Source: Imbalance of Cannabis Chemicals Causes Memory Issues
They investigated how the varying levels of cannabidiol and THC have an impact on the effects of the cannabis in naturalistic settings.
They studied 134 cannabis users, who were tested 7 days apart on measures of memory and psychotomimetic symptoms (symptoms of psychosis), once while they were drug free and once while they were intoxicated using their own smoked cannabis. Using an unprecedented methodology, a sample of cannabis (as well as saliva) was collected from each user and analysed for levels of cannabinoids. On the basis of these results two groups of individuals were directly compared based on the high and low cannabidiol content of cannabis.
They found that groups did not differ in the THC content of the cannabis they smoked. Unlike the marked impairment in prose recall of individuals who smoked cannabis low in cannabidiol, participants smoking cannabis high in cannabidiol showed no memory impairment. Cannabidiol content did not affect psychotomimetic symptoms, which were elevated in both groups when intoxicated.
These findings back up some of the policy issues the Beckley Foundation is engaged with. In a regulated market cannabis could be produced that had a balanced THC/CBD content, which would minimise the harms associated with its use.
Source: Imbalance of Cannabis Chemicals Causes Memory Issues
