THC study: does age change how cannabis affects you?
NCT ID NCT05865470
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at how age and sex influence the effects of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Researchers will give smoked and oral THC to 103 adults aged 18-65 who use cannabis regularly. They will measure pain relief, intoxication, impairment, and how the body processes THC. The goal is to understand why people react differently to cannabis based on age and sex.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Delta-9-THC (the active ingredient in cannabis)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could help doctors understand how THC affects people differently based on age and sex, potentially leading to safer cannabis use guidelines.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase study with only 103 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It focuses on short-term effects, not long-term safety or benefits.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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About 103 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2025
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Male or non-pregnant female aged 18-65 years according to the below criteria: EMERGING ADULTS: 18-25 years of age (+/- one year) MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS: 35-45 years of age (+/- one year) LATE MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS: 55-65 years of age (+/- one year) * Report weekly-monthly use of cannabis (with primary mode of use via inhalation) over the past 6 months prior to screening * Not currently seeking treatment for their cannabis use * No reported clinically significant adverse effects with cannabis use * Have a Body Mass Index from 18.5 - 34kg/m2 * Able to perform all study procedures * FEMALES: Currently practicing an effective form of birth control if pre-menopausal Exclusion Criteria: * Meeting DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5) criteria for any substance use disorder other than nicotine and mild cannabis use disorder * Report using other illicit drugs in the prior 4 weeks * Evidence of severe psychiatric illness (e.g. mood disorder with functional impairment or suicide risk, schizophrenia) or medical condition (i.e., hypertension) judged by the study physician (and PI to put the participant at greater risk of experiencing adverse events due to completion of study procedures, interfere with their ability to participate in the study, or their capacity to provide informed consent. * Current predominant licit use of medical cannabis * Current use of prescription or regular use of over the counter medications (with the exception of hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy). Current use of herbal supplements that may affect study outcomes or interact with study drug (i.e., St Johns wort, kava, L-tryptophan, melatonin) * If medical history, physical and psychiatric examination, or laboratory tests performed during the screening process are not within the normal range and / or reveal any significant illness (e.g., hypertension) as judged by the study physician and to put the participant at greater risk of experiencing adverse events due to completion of study procedures * Current pain * Pregnancy is exclusionary due to the possible effects of the study medication on fetal development * History of an allergic reaction or adverse reaction to cannabis is exclusionary. * Currently enrolled in another research protocol * Not using a contraceptive method (hormonal or barrier methods) * The evaluating physician reviews all medical assessments along with medical history. Any disorders that might make cannabis administration hazardous are exclusionary. * Intolerance to lactose and sesame (ingredients in the oral THC preparation) * Insensitivity to the Cold Pressor Test
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids
RECRUITINGLos Angeles, California, 90095, United States
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