Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31637452›Full record

Trial reportPsychopharmacology2020

Sex differences in the acute effects of smoked cannabis: evidence from a human laboratory study of young adults.

Justin Matheson, Beth Sproule, Patricia Di Ciano, Andrew Fares, Bernard Le Foll, Robert E Mann, Bruna Brands

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Psychopharmacology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 72 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
72citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

72 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  8. Does cannabidiol make cannabis safer? A randomised, double-blind, cross-over trial of cannabis with four different CBD:THC ratios.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2023
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  18. Independent brain cortical signatures of risk for adolescent cannabis use and consequences of such use are moderated by sex.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
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12 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Justin MathesonDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H7, Canada. justin.matheson@camh.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6248-3704
Beth SprouleLeslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3M2, Canada.
Patricia Di CianoDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H7, Canada.
Andrew FaresDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H7, Canada.
Bernard Le FollDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H7, Canada.
Robert E MannInstitute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2S1, Canada.
Bruna BrandsDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H7, Canada.

Funding

CIHR FRN114939
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleAnimal studies have found robust sex differences in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Δ

objectivesThe objective of this secondary analysis was to examine sex differences in THC pharmacokinetics and in acute subjective, physiological, and cognitive effects of smoked cannabis in a sample of regular cannabis users (use 1-4 days per week) aged 19-25 years.

methodsNinety-one healthy young adults were randomized to receive active (12.5% THC; 17 females, 43 males) or placebo (< 0.1% THC; 9 females, 21 males) cannabis using a 2:1 allocation ratio. Blood samples to quantify concentrations of THC, 11-OH-THC, and 11-Nor-carboxy-THC (THC-COOH), as well as measures of subjective drug effects, vital signs, and cognition were collected over a period of 6 h following ad libitum smoking of a 750-mg cannabis cigarette.

resultsFemales smoked less of the cannabis cigarette than males (p = 0.008) and had a lower peak concentration of THC and THC-COOH than males (p ≤ 0.01). Blood THC concentrations remained lower in females even when adjusting for differences in estimated dose of THC inhaled. There was very little evidence of sex differences in visual analog scale (VAS) ratings of subjective drug effects, mood, heart rate, blood pressure, or cognitive effects of cannabis.

conclusionsFemales experienced the same acute effects of smoked cannabis as males at a lower observed dose, highlighting the need for more research on sex differences in the pharmacology of THC, especially when administered by routes in which titrating to the desired effect is more difficult (e.g., cannabis edibles).

Indexed as

Sex CharacteristicsAdultBlood PressureCognitionDouble-Blind MethodDronabinolFemaleHeart RateHumansMaleMarijuana SmokingYoung AdultDronabinolCannabisSex differencesTHCYoung adults

Identifiers

PMID31637452

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.