The Acute and Chronic Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Oral Cannabidiol (CBD) With and Without Low Doses of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC).
Hemp products (cannabis with ≤0.3% Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC)) are federally legal, but few controlled experiments have explored drug test results, pharmacokinetics, or pharmacodynamics.
Healthy adults (n = 60) self-administered 1.5 mL medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil containing 100 mg cannabidiol (CBD) and either 0 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 2.8 mg or 3.7 mg Δ9-THC (n = 10 per group). The study included an 8-hour acute dose laboratory session (Phase 1), a 14-day outpatient drug exposure period with twice daily dosing (Phase 2) and a 7-day washout period (Phase 3). Measures including urine, blood, subjective drug effects, and cognitive and psychomotor performance were assessed repeatedly throughout the experiment.
At least one participant receiving Δ9-THC doses of 1.0 mg or greater had at least 1 positive urine drug test (Δ9-THC-COOH immunoassay screen ≥50ng/mL and LC-MS/MS confirmation ≥15ng/mL) during Phase 1 and the number of positive urine samples increased with Δ9-THC dose. Positive urine drug tests were observed during the Phase 2 outpatient drug exposure period from at least one participant in each dose condition that contained any amount of Δ9-THC. One urine specimen in the CBD only dose condition tested positive during Phase 2. Two positive urine samples were observed after the 1-week washout (Day 21). Blood concentrations of Δ9-THC were very low in all dose conditions, and there were no significant differences between the CBD only dose group and Δ9-THC-containing dose groups on any pharmacodynamic outcome.
Individuals subject to drug testing should recognize that hemp products contain detectable amounts of Δ9-THC. Conventional drug testing cannot reliably distinguish between illicit cannabis and legal hemp-derived product use, and a positive urine Δ9-THC test may result from low doses that do not produce intoxication or impairment.
Healthy adults (n = 60) self-administered 1.5 mL medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil containing 100 mg cannabidiol (CBD) and either 0 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 2.8 mg or 3.7 mg Δ9-THC (n = 10 per group). The study included an 8-hour acute dose laboratory session (Phase 1), a 14-day outpatient drug exposure period with twice daily dosing (Phase 2) and a 7-day washout period (Phase 3). Measures including urine, blood, subjective drug effects, and cognitive and psychomotor performance were assessed repeatedly throughout the experiment.
At least one participant receiving Δ9-THC doses of 1.0 mg or greater had at least 1 positive urine drug test (Δ9-THC-COOH immunoassay screen ≥50ng/mL and LC-MS/MS confirmation ≥15ng/mL) during Phase 1 and the number of positive urine samples increased with Δ9-THC dose. Positive urine drug tests were observed during the Phase 2 outpatient drug exposure period from at least one participant in each dose condition that contained any amount of Δ9-THC. One urine specimen in the CBD only dose condition tested positive during Phase 2. Two positive urine samples were observed after the 1-week washout (Day 21). Blood concentrations of Δ9-THC were very low in all dose conditions, and there were no significant differences between the CBD only dose group and Δ9-THC-containing dose groups on any pharmacodynamic outcome.
Individuals subject to drug testing should recognize that hemp products contain detectable amounts of Δ9-THC. Conventional drug testing cannot reliably distinguish between illicit cannabis and legal hemp-derived product use, and a positive urine Δ9-THC test may result from low doses that do not produce intoxication or impairment.
Authors
Wolinsky Wolinsky, Zamarripa Zamarripa, Spindle Spindle, Klausner Klausner, Cone Cone, Winecker Winecker, Vikingsson Vikingsson, Flegel Flegel, Hayes Hayes, Davis Davis, Kuntz Kuntz, Bonn-Miller Bonn-Miller, Bigelow Bigelow, Vandrey Vandrey
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