Pilot-Study for the Comparison of Biomarkers Between Regular Cannabis Users and Non-Users
Summary
The relevance of driving under the influence of cannabis is becoming increasingly important in the context of legalization. However, the measurement of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) blood concentration is an inadequate marker for assessing driving impairment. Currently, there is no reliable marker available for estimating the time of last cannabis inhalation, which would provide a promising tool for regulating driving under the influence of cannabis. This pilot study aims to explore potential biomarkers and factors that could approximate the timing of the last cannabis inhalation, with emphasis on the potential explanation of interindividual differences in THC pharmacokinetics and -dynamics. The results will assist future research aimed at improving the ability to distinguish between impaired and unimpaired cannabis users in road traffic. These findings are of significant importance for road safety and for society at large, as they may provide more objective markers for cannabis inhalation, thereby permitting a methodologically sound evaluation of driving under the influence of cannabis.
Timeline
- Start
- 2025-12-19
- Primary completion
- 2026-12-31
- Completion
- 2027-01-01
Publications
- Background Kraemer M, Madea B, Hess C. Detectability of various cannabinoids in plasma samples of cannabis users: Indicators of recent cannabis use? Drug Test Anal. 2019 Oct;11(10):1498-1506. doi: 10.1002/dta.2682. Epub 2019 Sep 1.
- Background Berman P, Futoran K, Lewitus GM, Mukha D, Benami M, Shlomi T, Meiri D. A new ESI-LC/MS approach for comprehensive metabolic profiling of phytocannabinoids in Cannabis. Sci Rep. 2018 Sep 24;8(1):14280. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-32651-4.
- Background Manthey J, Freeman TP, Kilian C, Lopez-Pelayo H, Rehm J. Public health monitoring of cannabis use in Europe: prevalence of use, cannabis potency, and treatment rates. Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2021 Sep 24;10:100227. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100227. eCollection 2021 Nov.
- Background Marcotte TD, Umlauf A, Grelotti DJ, Sones EG, Sobolesky PM, Smith BE, Hoffman MA, Hubbard JA, Severson J, Huestis MA, Grant I, Fitzgerald RL. Driving Performance and Cannabis Users' Perception of Safety: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2022 Mar 1;79(3):201-209. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.4037.
Drugs
| Evaluation | Drug | Modality | Dose | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Cannabis | Traditional medicine (herbal / TCM) | — | Inhaled |
Indications
No indication recorded.