A commonly held belief about cannabis is that the presence of CBD can counteract the effects of THC, resulting in a more balanced experience. However, a recent double-blinded clinical trial has challenged this assumption. The study found that when high doses of CBD are ingested alongside THC, the intoxicating effects of THC are actually enhanced rather than diminished. Participants who consumed 9 milligrams of THC and 450 milligrams of CBD reported feeling significantly more ‘high’ both physically and mentally compared to those who took THC alone. Additionally, blood tests revealed elevated levels of THC and its psychoactive byproducts in individuals who ingested high doses of CBD, suggesting that CBD may inhibit the metabolism of THC, amplifying its effects.
The clinical trial involved healthy male and female volunteers between the ages of 18 and 45, all of whom had previous experience with cannabis but had abstained from using the drug for at least three weeks prior to the experiment. Participants visited the clinic on five separate occasions to ingest either a placebo, pure THC, or a combination of THC and CBD. Both participants and researchers were unaware of which substance was being administered. Following ingestion, participants’ subjective experiences of pain and intoxication were assessed using validated tests, and blood samples were taken before and after dosing to track the levels of THC and its metabolites.
The Impact of CBD Doses
While lower doses of CBD did not seem to influence the intoxicating effects of THC significantly, the highest CBD dose tested had a notable impact on various measures of psychoactivity. This suggests that there may be a drug-drug interaction occurring between CBD and THC, with CBD acting as the “perpetrator drug” and THC as the “victim drug.” Interestingly, the level of CBD consumed did not affect participants’ subjective ratings of pain, aligning with previous findings that CBD alone may not provide relief for chronic pain.
Despite the intriguing results of this study, it is essential to acknowledge its limitations. The trial was relatively small in scale and focused solely on oral ingestion of CBD and THC. Further research, particularly involving inhalation studies, is needed to determine whether CBD has a mitigating effect on THC through different routes of administration. Neuropharmacologist Geert Groeneveld emphasized the ongoing efforts of the Center for Human Drug Research to explore the effects of very high doses of pure CBD on the human body.
As cannabis use continues to rise, understanding the interactions between its primary compounds, THC and CBD, becomes increasingly important. The notion that CBD can soften the impact of THC has been called into question by the findings of this clinical trial. Contrary to popular belief, high doses of CBD may actually enhance the intoxicating effects of THC, highlighting the complex relationship between these two compounds. Further research is needed to explore the full range of interactions between CBD and THC and their implications for human health and well-being.
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