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Behavioral Pharmacology of Cannabis and Nicotine

Primary Purpose

Cannabis, Nicotine

Status
Completed
Phase
Phase 1
Locations
United States
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Cannabis
Nicotine
Sponsored by
Johns Hopkins University
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional basic science trial for Cannabis

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - 55 Years (Adult)All SexesAccepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Have provided written informed consent
  • Be between the ages of 18 and 55
  • Be in good general health based on a physical examination, medical history, vital signs, and screening urine and blood tests
  • Test negative for drugs of abuse aside from cannabis (via urine sample) and alcohol (via breath sample) at the screening visit and upon arrival for each experimental session.
  • Not be pregnant or nursing (if female). All females must have a negative serum pregnancy test at the screening visit and a negative urine pregnancy test at clinic admission.
  • Have a body mass index (BMI) in the range of 18 to 36 kg/m2
  • Blood pressure at screening visit does not exceed a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 150 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 90 mmHg
  • Have not donated blood in the prior 30 days.
  • Report prior experience inhaling cannabis.
  • Report using cannabis at least 5 times in the past year.
  • Smoke ≥5 tobacco cigarettes per day on average in the past month.
  • Use an e-cigarette at least 15 of the past 30 days.
  • Have a breath carbon monoxide (CO) of >8ppm or urine cotinine >200ng/mL to confirm current nicotine use status.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Non-medical use of psychoactive drugs (aside from cannabis) other than, nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine in the month prior to the Screening Visit;
  • History of or current evidence of significant medical or psychiatric illness which, in the opinion of the investigator or sponsor, will interfere with the study results or the safety of the subject.
  • Use of an over-the-counter (OTC), systemic or topical drug(s), herbal supplement(s), or vitamin(s) within 14 days of experimental sessions; which, in the opinion of the investigator or sponsor, will interfere with the study results or the safety of the subject.
  • Use of a prescription medication (with the exception of birth control prescriptions) within 14 days of experimental sessions; which, in the opinion of the investigator or sponsor, will interfere with the study results or the safety of the subject.
  • History of clinically significant cardiac arrhythmias or vasospastic disease (e.g., Prinzmetal's angina).
  • Enrolled in another clinical trial or have received any drug as part of a research study within 30 days prior to dosing.
  • Epilepsy or a history of seizures.
  • Individuals who have a recent history of traumatic brain injury diagnosed by CT/MRI and have current sequela from prior brain injury, as determined by the study physician
  • Individuals with anemia.
  • Prior history of allergic or serious adverse reaction to either cannabis or tobacco/nicotine.
  • Average use of cannabis more than 2 times per week in the prior 3 months.

Sites / Locations

  • Johns Hopkins University

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm 3

Arm 4

Arm 5

Arm 6

Arm 7

Arm Type

Experimental

Experimental

Experimental

Experimental

Experimental

Experimental

Experimental

Arm Label

Active cannabis without nicotine

Active cannabis with own brand cigarettes

Active cannabis with low nicotine e-cigarette

Active cannabis with high nicotine e-cigarette

placebo cannabis with own brand cigarettes

Placebo cannabis with low nicotine e-cigarette

Placebo cannabis with high nicotine e-cigarette

Arm Description

Smoked cannabis containing 10mg THC + No nicotine/tobacco

Smoked cannabis containing 10mg THC + ad-libitum use of preferred brand cigarettes

Smoked cannabis containing 10mg THC + ad-libitum use of low nicotine content E-Cig (3% nicotine JUUL)

Smoked cannabis containing 10mg THC + ad-libitum use of high nicotine content E-Cig (5% nicotine JUUL)

Smoked placebo cannabis + ad-libitum use of preferred brand cigarettes

Smoked placebo cannabis + ad-libitum use of low nicotine content E-Cig (3% nicotine JUUL)

Smoked placebo cannabis + ad-libitum use of high nicotine content E-Cig (5% nicotine JUUL)

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Amount of nicotine (mL of smoke/vapor) inhaled
Amount of nicotine used (determined by total volume (mL) of cigarette smoke or JUUL vapor inhaled) after cannabis exposure in each session.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Self-reported Drug Effect as assessed by the Drug Effect Questionnaire (DEQ)
Peak rating (0-100) of Drug Effect on the DEQ, with 0 being no effect and 100 being maximum effect.
Psychomotor performance as assessed by the Digit Symbol Substitution Task (DSST)
Computerized version of Digit Symbol Substitution Task will be administered to assess psychomotor performance. Total correct trials in 90-seconds. Minimum score of 0 but no maximum score (higher scores indicate better performance).
Working memory performance as assessed by the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT)
Computerized version of Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task will be administered to assess working memory performance. Total correct trials out of 90 recorded is primary outcome (higher scores indicate better performance).
Behavioral task performance as assessed by the DRUID app
Behavioral task performance will be assessed with the DRUID app's Global impairment score(range 0-100), where lower scores indicate better performance.
Tobacco Craving as assessed by the Tobacco Craving Questionnaire
Peak rating (0-100) of "Craving" with 0 being no craving and 100 being maximum craving.
Cannabis Craving as assessed by the Cannabis Craving Questionnaire
Peak rating (0-100) of "Craving" with 0 being no craving and 100 being maximum craving

Full Information

First Posted
October 10, 2019
Last Updated
October 23, 2023
Sponsor
Johns Hopkins University
Collaborators
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT04124432
Brief Title
Behavioral Pharmacology of Cannabis and Nicotine
Official Title
Behavioral Pharmacology of Cannabis and Nicotine
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
October 2023
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
September 15, 2020 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
July 24, 2023 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
August 31, 2023 (Actual)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
Johns Hopkins University
Collaborators
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
Yes
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
This study will evaluate the individual and interactive pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of smoked cannabis and nicotine.
Detailed Description
The proposed study will be conducted at the Johns Hopkins Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (BPRU). All participants will be healthy adult volunteers who are regular nicotine/tobacco users, and have prior experience with cannabis use. Participants will complete seven outpatient experimental test sessions (completed in a randomized order), under double-blind conditions in which participants will first self-administer smoked cannabis (either active or placebo), followed by nicotine (via a tobacco cigarette or an e-cigarette); there will also be one condition in which participants smoke active cannabis alone (without subsequent nicotine use). Nicotine self-administration will occur in an ad libitum fashion for 5 hours. Nicotine products will be the individual participant's preferred brand of cigarettes or the commercial pod-style e-cigarette the JUUL (pods will contain either 3% or 5% nicotine pods). Active cannabis will contain 10 mg tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) while placebo will contain 0 mg THC. During the ad libitum nicotine/tobacco-use period, various puffing behaviors (e.g., puff volume, puff duration, puff number, inter-puff-interval) will be measured using specialized equipment. Acute subjective effects of cannabis/nicotine, cannabis/nicotine withdrawal symptoms, craving, vital signs, and cognitive/psychomotor performance will also be assessed throughout the experimental sessions.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Cannabis, Nicotine

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Study Phase
Phase 1
Interventional Study Model
Crossover Assignment
Model Description
All participants will complete all dose conditions (study arms) in a randomized order
Masking
ParticipantOutcomes Assessor
Masking Description
placebo controlled, double-blind
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
26 (Actual)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Active cannabis without nicotine
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Smoked cannabis containing 10mg THC + No nicotine/tobacco
Arm Title
Active cannabis with own brand cigarettes
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Smoked cannabis containing 10mg THC + ad-libitum use of preferred brand cigarettes
Arm Title
Active cannabis with low nicotine e-cigarette
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Smoked cannabis containing 10mg THC + ad-libitum use of low nicotine content E-Cig (3% nicotine JUUL)
Arm Title
Active cannabis with high nicotine e-cigarette
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Smoked cannabis containing 10mg THC + ad-libitum use of high nicotine content E-Cig (5% nicotine JUUL)
Arm Title
placebo cannabis with own brand cigarettes
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Smoked placebo cannabis + ad-libitum use of preferred brand cigarettes
Arm Title
Placebo cannabis with low nicotine e-cigarette
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Smoked placebo cannabis + ad-libitum use of low nicotine content E-Cig (3% nicotine JUUL)
Arm Title
Placebo cannabis with high nicotine e-cigarette
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Smoked placebo cannabis + ad-libitum use of high nicotine content E-Cig (5% nicotine JUUL)
Intervention Type
Drug
Intervention Name(s)
Cannabis
Intervention Description
Cannabis will be smoked
Intervention Type
Drug
Intervention Name(s)
Nicotine
Intervention Description
Nicotine will be smoked or vaporized
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Amount of nicotine (mL of smoke/vapor) inhaled
Description
Amount of nicotine used (determined by total volume (mL) of cigarette smoke or JUUL vapor inhaled) after cannabis exposure in each session.
Time Frame
5 hours
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Self-reported Drug Effect as assessed by the Drug Effect Questionnaire (DEQ)
Description
Peak rating (0-100) of Drug Effect on the DEQ, with 0 being no effect and 100 being maximum effect.
Time Frame
5 hours
Title
Psychomotor performance as assessed by the Digit Symbol Substitution Task (DSST)
Description
Computerized version of Digit Symbol Substitution Task will be administered to assess psychomotor performance. Total correct trials in 90-seconds. Minimum score of 0 but no maximum score (higher scores indicate better performance).
Time Frame
5 hours
Title
Working memory performance as assessed by the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT)
Description
Computerized version of Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task will be administered to assess working memory performance. Total correct trials out of 90 recorded is primary outcome (higher scores indicate better performance).
Time Frame
5 hours
Title
Behavioral task performance as assessed by the DRUID app
Description
Behavioral task performance will be assessed with the DRUID app's Global impairment score(range 0-100), where lower scores indicate better performance.
Time Frame
5 hours
Title
Tobacco Craving as assessed by the Tobacco Craving Questionnaire
Description
Peak rating (0-100) of "Craving" with 0 being no craving and 100 being maximum craving.
Time Frame
5 hours
Title
Cannabis Craving as assessed by the Cannabis Craving Questionnaire
Description
Peak rating (0-100) of "Craving" with 0 being no craving and 100 being maximum craving
Time Frame
5 hours

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
55 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Have provided written informed consent Be between the ages of 18 and 55 Be in good general health based on a physical examination, medical history, vital signs, and screening urine and blood tests Test negative for drugs of abuse aside from cannabis (via urine sample) and alcohol (via breath sample) at the screening visit and upon arrival for each experimental session. Not be pregnant or nursing (if female). All females must have a negative serum pregnancy test at the screening visit and a negative urine pregnancy test at clinic admission. Have a body mass index (BMI) in the range of 18 to 36 kg/m2 Blood pressure at screening visit does not exceed a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 150 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 90 mmHg Have not donated blood in the prior 30 days. Report prior experience inhaling cannabis. Report using cannabis at least 5 times in the past year. Smoke ≥5 tobacco cigarettes per day on average in the past month. Use an e-cigarette at least 15 of the past 30 days. Have a breath carbon monoxide (CO) of >8ppm or urine cotinine >200ng/mL to confirm current nicotine use status. Exclusion Criteria: Non-medical use of psychoactive drugs (aside from cannabis) other than, nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine in the month prior to the Screening Visit; History of or current evidence of significant medical or psychiatric illness which, in the opinion of the investigator or sponsor, will interfere with the study results or the safety of the subject. Use of an over-the-counter (OTC), systemic or topical drug(s), herbal supplement(s), or vitamin(s) within 14 days of experimental sessions; which, in the opinion of the investigator or sponsor, will interfere with the study results or the safety of the subject. Use of a prescription medication (with the exception of birth control prescriptions) within 14 days of experimental sessions; which, in the opinion of the investigator or sponsor, will interfere with the study results or the safety of the subject. History of clinically significant cardiac arrhythmias or vasospastic disease (e.g., Prinzmetal's angina). Enrolled in another clinical trial or have received any drug as part of a research study within 30 days prior to dosing. Epilepsy or a history of seizures. Individuals who have a recent history of traumatic brain injury diagnosed by CT/MRI and have current sequela from prior brain injury, as determined by the study physician Individuals with anemia. Prior history of allergic or serious adverse reaction to either cannabis or tobacco/nicotine. Average use of cannabis more than 2 times per week in the prior 3 months.
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Ryan Vandrey
Organizational Affiliation
Johns Hopkins University
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Johns Hopkins University
City
Baltimore
State/Province
Maryland
ZIP/Postal Code
21224
Country
United States

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
No

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Behavioral Pharmacology of Cannabis and Nicotine

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