Clinical Research @ CSL -

Behavioral Pharmacology of Cannabis and Nicotine

This study evaluates the individual and interactive pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of smoked cannabis and nicotine.

Healthy volunteers age 18-55 are needed to take part in a research study at Johns Hopkins. We are seeking people who currently smoke cigarettes or vape nicotine at least daily and have used cannabis at least once in the past month. Participants will be paid up to $1730 for study completion. Study involves smoking cannabis and also smoking a tobacco cigarette or vaping with an e-cigarette over 7 experimental sessions.

If you are interested in this study, please refer t o this page.

Behavioral Pharmacology of THC and Alpha-pinene

There is increasing interest in the use of cannabis (marijuana) for medical and non-medical purposes. Cannabis is a very complex plant and we don’t know much about how different substances found in the plant affect each other. This study is being done to learn whether alpha-pinene (pinene), a compound found naturally in cannabis and conifers such as pine trees, alters the effects of THC, which is the compound that causes most of the drug effects that happen when you use cannabis.

The proposed study will be conducted at the Johns Hopkins Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (BPRU). Participants will complete 9 acute drug administration periods in which they will administer THC alone, pinene alone, THC and pinene together, or placebo. Subjective drug effects, cognitive performance, and vital signs will be assessed following drug administration. Each participant will receive all 9 dose conditions in a randomized order using a placebo controlled within-subject crossover design. The study will help the investigators understand the individual and interactive effects of THC and pinene, two common constituents found in cannabis.

This project will be conducted at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. We are seeking research volunteers who have used cannabis in the past, and are willing to inhale THC and pinene as part of this study. People aged 18-55 years who have used cannabis/THC previously, but who are not current frequent users, may join this study.

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.

Comparative pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the effects of oral and inhaled delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (D-8-THC) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D-9-THC), which are both found in the cannabis plant. D-8-THC is similar in its chemical structure to D-9-THC. D-9-THC is the main part of the cannabis plant that produces a “high,” though other chemicals like D-8-THC may also contribute to the effects of cannabis. This research is being done to determine whether D-8-THC products impact drug tests for cannabis (marijuana), and to measure subjective, cardiovascular, or cognitive performance effects of D-8-THC as compared to D-9-THC.

This research is important because D-8-THC products are becoming more popular and are available across the U.S., including in states where cannabis remains illegal. However, there is little research to understand the subjective and cognitive effects of D-8-THC products or whether they can impact drug testing results for cannabis. This research will help us understand whether use of delta-8-THC will cause a positive result on drug tests that are commonly used to detect use of cannabis in the workplace and other situations. The information gained from this study will add to other studies that have been done to determine the effects of D-8-THC in healthy adults.

Healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 45 may join. Total possible earnings will be $1810 for completing one sub-study, and $3560 for completing both sub-studies.

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.

The Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Effects of Oral CBD

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the short-term effects of taking an oral cannabidiol (CBD) product that either contains a low level of THC, or which contains only CBD (no THC). CBD and THC are two compounds found in cannabis (marijuana).

This research is being done to determine whether cannabidiol (CBD) products, with and without low levels of THC, impact drug tests for cannabis (marijuana), and to measure whether these CBD products have subjective, cardiovascular, or cognitive performance effects after both short-term and long-term use. This research is becoming more important because there is a growing interest in the use of CBD for some health problems, and CBD products are now widely available. However, there is little research to understand the subjective and cognitive effects of CBD products or whether they can impact drug testing results for cannabis. This research will help us understand whether use of CBD (alone and with low levels of THC) will cause a positive result on drug tests that are commonly used to detect use of cannabis, and whether repeated use makes a difference.

We are currently enrolling healthy adults who are 18-55 years old. You can earn up to $830 for completing all portions of the study procedures.

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.

The Impact of Oral Cannabis Administration and Co-Administration of Alcohol on Impairment

This study aims to measure the effects of oral cannabis (aka, edibles) and alcohol, when taken separately and together, on your ability to perform certain tasks such as driving, balancing, eye tracking, short-term memory, and attention and also to understand how these two drugs make you feel. Through collecting blood and breath samples after cannabis and alcohol are taken, we will be able to see if there are markers that can predict how you do on the tasks. The results of this study will help us better understand the effects of using cannabis and alcohol, and to help identify behaviors and/or substances in the body that relate to impairment.

This research is becoming more important because cannabis is becoming legal in more places and as a result, more people have access to the drug and are driving while high more often. In addition, there has been an increase in the number of people who use cannabis and alcohol at the same time. However, there is very little research to understand how using cannabis and alcohol impairs driving ability and cognitive functioning and how impairment may relate to concentrations of the drugs in blood and breath. This research will help us understand more about the impairing effects of cannabis and alcohol and inform strategies to identify impaired drivers.

Healthy adults between the ages of 21 to 50 may join. Total possible earnings for each participant is $2660.

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.

Acute Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Effects of “Tobacco-Free” Oral Nicotine Pouches in Smokers

This research is being done to learn more about the short-term effects of oral nicotine pouches, including subjective and cardiovascular effects and also to understand nicotine pharmacokinetics (or how the drug moves through your body) from nicotine pouches in comparison to tobacco cigarettes. Nicotine pouches are becoming more popular and are widely available in retail stores such as tobacco shops and gas stations. However, to date, there has not been much research done to understand the effects of these pouches in tobacco cigarette smokers.

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the effects of using oral nicotine pouches of different flavors and nicotine strengths in comparison to regular cigarettes. If you are eligible and join this study, you will complete 1 screening visit that lasts about 2 hours and 7 drug administration sessions that each last about 5 hours.

Healthy adults over the age of 21 may join the study. Total possible earnings will be $1030.

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of CHI-914 in Healthy Participants and nonusers

This research is being done to learn more about the short-term effects of cannabigerol (CBG), including subjective (how you feel), cardiovascular (heart/blood), and cognitive (thinking) performance effects and also to understand CBG pharmacokinetics (or how the drug moves through the body).

To date, there has not been much research like this conducted on oral CBG products. This research is becoming more important because there is a growing interest in the use of CBG for some health problems, and CBG products intended for oral ingestion are now widely available. This research will help us understand the effects of oral CBG. The information gained from this study will add to other studies that have been done to determine the effects of CBG by itself in healthy adults.

If you are eligible and join this study, you will complete 1 screening visit that lasts about 2 hours and 5 drug administration visits that each last about 8 hours. During the screening phase, you will complete surveys and interviews, have laboratory tests and a physical examination to determine your study eligibility. You can earn up to $1830 for completing all portions of the study. Healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 55 may join.

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.

A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Within- Subject Crossover Study of the Effects of Combinations of Cannabinoids and Caffeine

This research is being done to find out the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the two main chemicals found in cannabis (marijuana) when used in combination with caffeine, compared to a placebo (an inactive substance that looks like the study drug, but contains no active drug.

Caffeine is a widely used substance seen in things like coffee, tea and soda. When used in moderation, caffeine is a safe supplement used to help with low energy, but constant consumption in high doses can lead to unwanted side effects such as anxiety, increased heart rate, and insomnia. There is evidence to suggest that cannabidiol (CBD, may lessen the negative side effects of caffeine (e.g., feeling jittery) without preventing positive or desired effects. CBD also shows potential in reducing undesirable effects of THC, such as anxiety. This study will assess the effects of combinations of THC, CBD, and caffeine.

Study participation involves completing 1 screening visit that lasts about 2 hours and 4 drug administration visits that each last about 9 hours. During the screening phase, you will complete surveys and interviews, have laboratory tests and a physical examination to determine your study eligibility. If you are eligible and join this study, you will complete 1 screening visit that lasts about 2-3 hours and 4 study test sessions that last about 9 hours each. The test sessions will be separated by 1 week or more, depending on your schedule and the availability of the laboratory staff. If you are eligible and elect to participate, you can earn up to $1,530 for completing all portions of the study.

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.

Oral Cannabidiol for Tobacco Cessation

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of oral cannabidiol (CBD) compared to a placebo on smoking cessation.

People aged 18-65 years who are current daily tobacco smokers with an interest in quitting may join. The study will take place on the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center campus at the Johns Hopkins Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit. If you qualify and choose to take part in this study, compensation of up to $615 can be earned for completing all portions of the study procedures and following all study requirements.

Study Participation consists of:
21 experimental test sessions over the course of 6 weeks. The study will be completed in 3 phases, each lasting two weeks. Study weeks 1, 3, and 5 will be baseline weeks, during which you will smoke cigarettes as you normally would. Study weeks 2, 4, and 6 will be simulated quit attempt weeks, during which you will be asked to attempt to quit smoking cigarettes. You will be at the BPRU for up to 2 hours during each study visit, though most sessions will be about 30 minutes.

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.

Realm of Caring Observational Research Registry (ORR)

This research is being done in collaboration with the Realm of Caring Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to therapeutic cannabinoid research and education. The purpose of this research is to examine the health effects of medicinal cannabis use by surveying people who have a variety of health problems, and comparing individuals who do and don’t use cannabis. This study is open to adult patients as well as caregivers of dependent patients who have health problems and either are or are considering the use of cannabis as an alternative treatment.

Through this research, we hope to learn more about the impact that the use of cannabis and/or hemp products for therapeutic purposes has on people’s health, quality of life, and health services utilization. Participants in this study are asked questions about the use of cannabis/hemp products, other medications, and general health. This information is then used by Realm of Caring to improve education efforts, and is analyzed by the Johns Hopkins research team to better understand the benefits and risks of cannabis/hemp use.

You do not need to be a cannabis/hemp product user to participate in this study. In fact, it is actually helpful to have people who are not currently using cannabis or hemp products participate for comparison to those who are. Cannabis/hemp products include a variety of products sourced from the cannabis plant. Many names are used for these products, including cannabis, marijuana, hemp, wax, shatter, cannabis/hemp extracts or oils, and other assorted names. This also includes specific cannabinoids such as THC, CBD (cannabidiol), CBG, CBC, CBN, etc.

Study volunteers are asked to complete a questionnaire that takes approximately 30-60 minutes to complete. Completion of that questionnaire enrolls people in the study. Then, every 3 months, an e-mail is sent requesting completion of a follow-up survey. These follow-up surveys are much shorter in length than the first survey (about 15-20 minutes). For each survey completed, study participants can choose from available incentives (e.g. coupon codes for product purchases, or entries into raffles for gift cards).

If you are interested in this study, please refer to this page.