Developing a Mobile Method to Measure THC-induced Impairment
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2018-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Marijuana use, for both recreational and therapeutic purposes, is becoming increasingly
common as states remove restrictions on use. The increased use raises new concern about the
safety of this drug, including its ability to impair basic cognitive and psychomotor tasks,
and whether the users are aware of their impairment. We propose to design a simple
performance test that users can use in the field, using a cell phone, to assess their level
of impairment relative to their own drug-free state. In this preliminary study, we will
compare participants' simple task performance after a known dose of
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or placebo, administered under double-blind conditions.
In our app the participants will be asked to gauge their own perceived level of impairment
(as determined by self-ratings and judgments of impairment) as well as their actual
impairment (as gauged by the app), providing important feedback and training about their
ability to detect impairment.