on PinterestResearchers say that standard units for cannabis use, similar to those set for alcohol, could help guide safer consumption.
on PinterestResearchers say that standard units for cannabis use, similar to those set for alcohol, could help guide safer consumption. Image credit: Wizemark/Stocksy
- Similar to alcohol consumption, cannabis users could benefit from a similar “standard drink” framework, researchers say.
- A new study suggests that setting limits could help guide safer consumption among those who frequently use cannabis.
- Clearer dose guidance could help cannabis users and clinicians better understand risks associated with heavy use, particularly among young people.
Standardized dose units for cannabis could help establish clearer limits for safer use, according to new research.
The United States has a clear definition of a “standard drink” to guide safe alcohol consumption, but for cannabis, it’s more of a gray area.
A well-defined and standardized unit of measurement is crucial for cannabis users and healthcare professionals, researchers say.
A new study published on January 12 in Addiction used a standardized unit system to identify thresholds at which cannabis use was associated with cannabis use disorder (CUD) in adults and adolescents.
About 30% of cannabis users develop CUD, and those who start using cannabis during youth or adolescence have a higher risk of developing it.
If you use cannabis on a regular basis, being aware of your consumption can help support healthier decisions. For doctors, a framework for cannabis use could facilitate consistent research methods and more reliable diagnoses.
“The aim of this work is harm reduction,” said first study author Rachel Lees Thorne, PhD, associate director of the Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM) at the United Kingdom.
“No level of cannabis use is completely safe; however, clearer information about THC intake could help people who use cannabis regularly to potentially reduce their risk,” Thorne told Healthline.
Setting limits for cannabis use: How much is too much?
Rather than relying on typical measures of cannabis use, such as frequency or weight, the researchers focused on total THC intake.
THC is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis and is responsible for the “high” feeling people may associate with cannabis.
Cannabis doses are often subjective and difficult to measure accurately. Not only does the potency of cannabis products — including flower, edibles, vapes, and even beverages — vary widely, but colloquial measures like “one joint” can also vary from user to user.
Instead, the study uses 5 milligrams (mg) of THC as a standard unit. This specific quantity was first implemented by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in 2021 as a requirement to help standardize cannabis research.
The study used data from the CannTeen study, a year-long observational study that tracked cannabis use patterns among adults and adolescents. The study included 150 participants, comprising 65 adults in their twenties and 85 adolescents. These cohorts were intentionally monitored separately to identify potential differences in how cannabis use affects adolescents and adults.
Over a 1-year period, participants regularly checked in and reported on their cannabis use, including product type (such as flower or hash), potency, and frequency. This data was then combined and converted into an estimated number of weekly standard (5mg THC) doses.
After one year of observation and data
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