Recruiting
Phase 2

THC

Sponsor:

Washington State University

Code:

NCT07296874

Conditions

Cannabis Use

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 21+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

THC 20mg

Placebo

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study will examine how a moderate dose of THC affects mood and cognitive functioning in regular cannabis users. The study uses a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, meaning each participant will complete two sessions. Specifically, each participant will be given active cannabis (20 mg THC) in one session, and placebo in the other session. The order will be randomized across participants, so half will receive cannabis first, and the other half will receive placebo first.

Ninety two adults who use cannabis at least weekly will be recruited from the local community. After an online screening survey, eligible participants will attend a laboratory visit where the participants will provide informed consent and complete saliva and urine drug tests to confirm recent abstinence from cannabis and absence of other drugs. Participants who pass screening will complete baseline questionnaires of cannabis use patterns, depression, anxiety, ADHD symptoms, emotion regulation, affect, and demographic information.

Cannabis and placebo materials (obtained from NIDA) will be vaporized using a Volcano vaporizer device. Participants will inhale the vapor under supervision, and neither the participant nor the researcher assessing outcomes will know which product is administered. After vaping, participants will complete repeated mood ratings and a battery of cognitive tests assessing executive functions like planning, inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. The participants will then watch a nature video and report their feelings of awe and affect.

At the end of each session, participants will remain in a supervised room with entertainment and snacks until at least four hours have passed since vaping and the participants report feeling sober. The participants will then return for a second session with the opposite study condition (THC or placebo) one week later. Both sessions follow the same procedures. Participants are fully debriefed after completing the study.

Conditions

Cannabis Use

Study ID

NCT07296874

Start date

Sep 11, 2026

Status verified date

Sep, 2026

Completion date

May, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 21+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • be 21 years of age or older
  • be fluent in English
  • use of cannabis at least once a week for at least one year
  • inhalation as their typical method of administration
  • be willing to abstain from cannabis on the day of their scheduled testing session

Exclusion Criteria:

  • neurological conditions (e.g., neurodegenerative disorders, severe head injury, multiple concussions)
  • serious psychiatric conditions (e.g., psychosis, bipolar disorder)
  • family history of psychosis
  • intellectual disabilities or learning disorders (e.g., dyslexia)
  • chronic medical conditions that affect cognition or increase risk of cannabis use or exposure to cold water (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, history of fainting or seizures, fractures or wounds on both hands or wrists),
  • heart disease
  • BMI > 34
  • pregnant or lactating
  • use of illicit drugs in past 6 months
  • heavy use of alcohol (drinking >4 drinks >4 times per week)
  • nicotine/tobacco use
  • have experienced a severe adverse reaction to cannabis (e.g., panic attack, psychosis)

Study Design

Enrollment

92 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: THC -> Placebo

Participants will inhale vapor from .17 grams of cannabis containing 11.86% THC (20mg THC total) during the first session. They will inhale vapor from a placebo product during the second session.

experimental: Placebo -> THC

Participants will inhale vapor from a placebo product during the first session. They will inhale vapor from .17 grams of cannabis containing 11.86% THC (20mg THC total) during the second session.

Interventions

THC 20mg

20 mg THC delivered by vaporizing 0.17 g of 11.86% THC cannabis flower obtained from NIDA, using a Volcano vaporizer.

Placebo

Placebo obtained from NIDA and vaporized using a Volcano vaporizer.

Primary outcome measure

  • Event-Based Prospective Memory - Number of Difficulty Ratings Provided [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Time-Based Prospective Memory - Token Task [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Working Memory Updating - N-back Test Accuracy [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Working Memory Updating - N-back Reaction Time [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Working Memory Updating - N-back ERP [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Verbal Working Memory - Digit Span Backwards [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Planning - Tower Test Total Achievement Score [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Planning - Tower Test Rule Violations [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Planning - Zoo Maps Test Total Achieved Score [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Planning - Zoo Maps Test Rule Violations [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Inhibitory Control - Stroop Test Interference Score [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Inhibitory Control - Stroop Test Accuracy [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Inhibitory Control - Stroop Test ERP [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Cognitive Flexibility - Intra-dimensional/Extra-dimensional Set-Shifting Task Errors [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Cognitive Flexibility - Intra-Dimesional/Extra Dimensional Set-Shifting Task Trials to Criterion [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Cognitive Flexibility - Intra-Dimesional/Extra Dimensional Set-Shifting Task Total Accuracy [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Cognitive Flexibility - Verbal Fluency, Category Switching Fluency [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Cognitive Flexibility - Verbal Fluency, Category Switching Accuracy [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • EEG Power [ Time Frame: This outcome will be continuously assessed during both sessions, from baseline (i.e., during the testing session but before treatment) through two hours post-treatment. ]
  • Awe Ratings [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within two hours post-treatment. ]
  • Connectedness to Nature Ratings [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within two hours post-treatment. ]
  • Inhibitory Control - Go/No-Go ERP [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Inhibitory Control - Go/No-Go Comission Errors [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Inhibitory Control - Go/No-Go Accuracy [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Cognitive Flexibility - Probabilistic Reversal Learning Task, Reversal Errors [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Cognitive Flexibility - Probabilistic Reversal Learning Task, Win-stay/Lose-shift Behavior [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]
  • Cognitive Flexibility - Probabilistic Reversal Learning Task, Choice Accuracy [ Time Frame: This outcome will be assessed during both sessions, within 90 minutes post-treatment. ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Ryan J McLaughlin, PhD

5093356448ryan.mclaughlin@wsu.edu

Carrie Cuttler, PhD

5093350681carrie.cuttler@wsu.edu

Locations

Washington State University

Recruiting

Pullman, Washington, United States, 99163

Contacts

Carrie Cuttler, PhD

5093395897carrie.cuttler@wsu.edu

Ryan J McLaughlin, PhD

5093393281ryan.mclaughlin@wsu.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Washington State University

Last update posted

Sep 29, 2026

Last verified

Sep, 2026

Keywords

  • Cannabis
  • THC
  • Executive functioning
  • Stress reactivity
  • Affect

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-30. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Washington State University on 2026-09-29. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.