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Cannabis clinical trials at University of California Health

18 in progress, 10 open to eligible people

Showing trials for
  • Tobacco, E-Cigarette, and Cannabis Waste

    open to eligible people ages 18-25

    This study tests of effect of brief education and support about tobacco, e-cigarette, and cannabis waste (TECW) on knowledge, beliefs, behavior, and TECW on two college campuses.

    at UC Davis

  • Brain Mechanisms Supporting Cannabis-induced Pain Relief

    open to eligible people ages 21-65

    The American Academy of Pain Medicine has labeled pain as a "silent epidemic" due to its staggering costs to society (over $500 billion/year) and widespread prevalence (affects over 100 million Americans). Thus, it is imperative to test and validate cost-effective pain therapies. To this extent, cannabis is characterized as one of the most promising therapies to treat a wide spectrum of pain conditions. However, the clinical applicability of cannabis-based pain therapies has been limited due to lacking mechanistic characterization in human-focused studies. Of critical importance, the neural mechanisms supporting cannabis induced pain relief remain unknown. The primary objective of the proposed pilot study is to identify the brain mechanisms supporting the direct alleviation of acutely evoked pain through vaporized cannabis.

    at UCSD

  • Cannabis Effects as a Function of Sex (CanSex)

    open to eligible people ages 21-55

    The purpose of this research is to assess the impact of cannabis on the analgesic and abuse-related effects between men and women

    at UCLA

  • Cannabis Effects on Antiretroviral Therapy Pharmacokinetics and Neurotoxicity

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This study will address whether cannabis affects antiretroviral therapy (ART) drug concentrations, mood, and thinking. The project will have two phases. Phase 1 is an observational study, in which 120 people will be assessed to evaluate the effects of chronic cannabis use on ART drug concentrations, mood, and thinking. In Phase 2, the study will administer cannabis (or placebo) to 40 people to examine its acute effects on ART drug concentrations.

    at UCSD

  • Cannabis Use, Cognition, and the Endocannabinoid System in HIV

    open to eligible people ages 18-65

    Understanding how co-morbidities in persons with HIV (PWH) such as substance use affect risk-taking, decision-making, and other cognitive behaviors is important given implications for everyday functioning and transmission risk. The high prevalence of cannabis use in PWH, medicinally and recreationally, may indicate disease severity, impart therapeutic benefits, or adverse consequences. In fact, cannabis is recommended to those with HIV to alleviate nausea, improve appetite, relieve pain, and lift mood. To-date, the consequences of cannabis use in PWH remain unclear as do potential interactions with HIV treatments. In healthy participants, heavy cannabis use is associated with cognitive deficits e.g., risky decision-making, response disinhibition and inattention, but pro-cognitive effects in PWH may exist at mild use levels due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-excitotoxic properties. Furthermore, little has been done to determine the effects of cannabis use on the endocannabinoid (EC) system in general or in PWH. This study will determine the effects of the two primary cannabis constituents (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC], cannabidiol [CBD]) vs. placebo on risky decision-making, response inhibition, reward learning, temporal perception, and motivation, plus EC and homovanillic acid (HVA; a surrogate for dopamine activity) levels in HIV+ and HIV- subjects. Participants with infrequent cannabis use will undergo baseline cognitive testing and biomarker assays with antiretrovirals (ART) use quantified. They will be randomized to a 5-day course of either THC, CBD, or placebo and return for follow-up testing and re-assaying of ECs and HVA levels.

    at UCSD

  • Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabinol on Microbiome and Neuroinflammation in HIV

    open to eligible people ages 21-70

    This study has the potential to contribute to a more complete understanding of the independent and combined effects of cannabis use and HIV on the brain and on inflammation. Such knowledge may inform future strategies for treating brain disease and inflammation. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, both of which will receive the same treatment in a different order over a period of about 6 weeks. The visits include physical examinations, blood tests, and other procedures designed to monitor subject safety and measure the effects of the study drug.

    at UCSD

  • Cannabis on Cognition and Endocannabinoid Levels in Bipolar Disorder Patients and Healthy Volunteers

    open to eligible people ages 18-50

    Cannabis use is associated with younger age at onset of bipolar disorder, poor outcome, and more frequent manic episodes, but the effects of cannabis on cognition are less clear. Contrary to reports among non-psychiatric patients, cannabis may improve cognition among people with bipolar disorder. Nevertheless, no study to date has systematically tested the acute effects of cannabis on cognition in bipolar disorder. Therefore, the investigators propose to determine the effects of oral cannabinoid administration on cognitive domains relevant to bipolar disorder, e.g., arousal, decision making, cognitive control, inhibition, and temporal perception (sense of timing). In addition, the investigators will evaluate different doses of the two major components of cannabis, cannabidiol and ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and compare them to placebo on these neurocognitive measures. The investigators will also test the effects of acute exposure to cannabinoids on cerebrospinal levels of anandamide and homovanillic acid - markers of endocannabinoid and dopamine activity in the brain, respectively. These studies will provide information that effectively bridges the fields of addiction and general psychiatry, informing treatment development for co-morbid substance abuse and psychiatric disorders.

    at UCSD

  • N-Acetylcysteine for Smoking Cessation in Tobacco and Cannabis Co-Use

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    Tobacco and cannabis co-use is a common and growing public health problem, especially in states that have legalized cannabis. There are no pharmacologic treatments for co-occurring tobacco and cannabis use. Co-use may make quitting either substance more difficult, given the synergistic effects of cannabis and nicotine on neurobiological systems that mediate reward and shared cues reinforcing co-use. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an FDA-approved medication and over-the-counter supplement, has shown promise in animal studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in reducing tobacco and cannabis craving and use.

    at UCSF

  • THC Crossover Study

    open to eligible people ages 21 years and up

    This is a randomized, crossover study enrolling experienced dual cannabis-tobacco smokers (N=18) to describe the differences in THC and toxicant exposure, examining pharmacokinetic, subjective, and cardiovascular effects from smoking and vaping dry herb cannabis. This study will also examine the differences in toxicant exposure and cardiovascular disease risk between smoking cannabis and smoking tobacco cigarettes.

    at UCSF

  • MARY-JANE Cannabis and Heart Rhythm Trial

    open to eligible people ages 21 years and up

    Despite recreational cannabis now being legal in 23 states, where more than 100 million Americans reside, studies on the actual health effects are limited. This study is a randomized trial, where each participant will be instructed to consume or avoid cannabis on randomly assigned days during a 14-day monitoring period. The goal of this study is to answer the question: "Does cannabis use increase the frequency of 'early' and abnormal heart beats?" During the 14-day period, participants will wear an external heart monitor, a glucose monitor, and a fitness tracker to track heart rhythm, glucose levels, step counts, and sleep health. Participants will use a mobile app or a text messaging service for daily instructions/reminders on cannabis use, and short surveys. The investigators ask that participants smoke or vape cannabis at least once on days they are instructed to consume cannabis. Compelling evidence of heart and other health effects would be important to the clinical care of our patients.

    at UCSF

  • Cannabis THC Potency, Metabolism, and Cognitive Impairment in Young Adults

    Sorry, not yet accepting patients

    The goal of this interventional study is to determine the impact of high potency THC product use on cognitive function of young adults aged 21-25. The main question it aims to answer is: will cannabis users who switch to less potent THC products demonstrate improved cognitive function compared to baseline? Other questions this study aims to answer include: - Can researchers accurately assess THC consumption among frequent cannabis users? - Can researchers effectively incentivize cannabis users to use less potent THC products? - Do genetic variations in THC metabolism impact urinary THC excretion? - Do genetic variations in THC metabolism impact cognitive performance in cannabis users? - Are quantitative urinary THC values predictive of cognitive impairment? - How can researchers use research findings to inform harm reduction practices for people who use cannabis? Participants will submit blood and urine samples and be incentivized to use less potent THC products.

    at UCSF

  • Inhaled Cannabis for Acute Migraine Treatment

    Sorry, accepting new patients by invitation only

    This pilot crossover study will evaluate 3 different potencies of inhaled cannabis (2.5%, 5%, and 10%) and inhaled placebo cannabis for the acute treatment of migraine.

    at UCSD

  • AEF0117 on Treatment-seeking Patients With Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD)

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    Cannabis use is increasing and will only further escalate with legalization of recreational and medical cannabis use in western countries , with a prevalence greater than 30 % in the US and most European countries for individuals between 16 and 24 years of age. Approximately 9 % of those who use cannabis will become addicted. The number goes up to about 1 in 6 among those who start using cannabis as teenagers and to 25 to 50 % among those who smoke cannabis daily. The consequences of cannabis abuse in the most prone population (14-25 years of age) are extremely serious, and may include addiction, altered brain development, poorer educational outcomes, cognitive impairment, lower income, greater welfare dependence, unemployment and lower relationship and life satisfaction. There are no available pharmacological treatments of cannabis use disorder (CUD). Thus, the development of safe and effective medications for the treatment of CUD is an urgent public health priority. The preclinical efficacy and available ADMET (Administration, Distribution, Metabolism, Elimination and Toxicology) in animal and human data suggest that AEF0117, an investigational new study drug, could constitute a very efficacious and safe treatment for cannabis abuse disorders. The purpose of this research is to study how AEF0117 influences the subjective effects of cannabis in subjects with CUD. AEF0117 acts in the same parts of the brain as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the active ingredient of marijuana, and may temporarily alter some of cannabis's effects. The safety and tolerability of AE0117 has been demonstrated in the clinical studies conducted to date. This study will provide additional data on the efficacy of AEF0117 on treatment-seeking subjects with moderate to severe CUD. This is a phase 2b, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-arm, parallel-group, prospective, multicenter study. The overall purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of AEF0117 in subjects with moderate to severe CUD who are treatment-seeking. The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate that AEF0117 induces a greater proportion of RESPONDERS (i.e., subjects with a RESPONSE of ≤1 day of cannabis use per week) compared to placebo in treatment-seeking subjects with moderate to severe CUD, according to DSM-5 criteria.The secondary objectives are to investigate the proportion of subjects that reach various levels of reduction and how this influences their quality of life, and to evaluate the safety and tolerability of AEF0117. And the exploratory objectives of this study are to further evaluate the effect of AEF0117 on pattern of cannabis use and change in various signs and symptoms, and in addition to assess effects during the grace period and the entire treatment period.

    at UCLA

  • Measuring Environmental Tobacco and Cannabis: Pollutants and Exposures

    Sorry, not yet accepting patients

    This is an unblinded pilot study of an environmental exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke in one group of healthy nonsmokers.

    at UCSF

  • Cannabis Derivatives in Neuropathic Pain

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    Veterans with diabetes are more likely than diabetic civilians to develop disabling chronic diabetic neuropathic pain (CDNP). Research on frontline treatments for CDNP (enhanced glycemic control, exercise, pharmacological agents), shows inconsistent outcomes and dissatisfaction among Veterans. Veterans and clinicians have shown significant interest in cannabis derivatives (THC, CBD) for neuropathic pain control, but there are no well-controlled trials guiding expectations for benefit and adverse outcomes associated with cannabis for CDNP. Because Veterans are likely to present with pain and pain-related polymorbidity significantly differing from that of civilians, a well-structured clinical trial of cannabinoids for Veterans with CDNP is vital. The present phase II study will offer the first evidence describing the potential benefits and adverse effects of cannabinoids for CDNP in Veterans using a four-arm, double-blind, multisite randomized trial comparing THC, CBD, THC+CBD and placebo on neuropathic pain outcomes.

    at UCSD

  • Social Media Intervention to Stop Nicotine and Cannabis Vaping Among Adolescents

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    Social media based intervention to support teens in their efforts to quit vaping.

    at UCSF

  • TACUNA (Traditions and Connections for Urban Native Americans)

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    This study responds to Request For Application-DA-19-035, HEAL (Helping End Addiction Long Term) initiative: Preventing OUD in Older Adolescents and Young Adults (ages 16-30) by developing and implementing a culturally centered intervention to address opioid use among urban AI/AN emerging adults in California. The primary goal of this study is to compare AI/AN emerging adults who receive TACUNA plus a Wellness Circle (WC) to those AI/AN emerging adults who receive an opioid education workshop on outcomes (e.g., opioid misuse and alcohol and other drug use) over a period of 12 months. TACUNA will be a motivational interviewing group intervention that incorporates traditional practices and discussion of how to cultivate healthy social networks and cultural worlds. The Wellness gathering will be for emerging adults and people in their social network, and will focus on how social networks and cultural connectedness influence healthy behaviors. Opioid education will focus on discussion of opioid misuse within the AI/AN urban community and ways to reduce use in a culturally appropriate manner. Investigators expect those who receive TACUNA + WG will report less opioid and AOD (alcohol and other drug) use frequency, fewer consequences, less time spent around peers who use opioids and AOD, and less perceived prevalence of peer use compared to opioid education over a period of 12 months. Also, investigators will evaluate the intervention's effects on secondary outcomes of social networks and cultural connectedness. Survey data is collected at baseline, 3-months, 6-months and 12-months. Longitudinal analyses will compare intervention participant and control participants on primary and secondary outcomes.

    at UCLA

  • Clinical Pharmacology of Marijuana-Tobacco Co-administration

    Sorry, not yet accepting patients

    This is a crossover, randomized, double-blinded clinical pharmacology study enrolling dual cannabis-tobacco smokers to better understand the combined effects of co-administering cannabis and tobacco. The project aims to describe the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of marijuana-tobacco co-administration by delivering THC and nicotine in various combinations. This foundational study will establish a research program focused on elucidating the public health consequences of marijuana-tobacco co-use.

    at UCSF

Our lead scientists for Cannabis research studies include .

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