The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is actively seeking participants for five ongoing clinical trials focused on marijuana’s medical applications.
These studies are part of UCSD’s continuing research into how marijuana can be used to help treat a variety of medical ailments.
The first trial looks into how marijuana relieves pain, often called a “silent epidemic” that impacts over 100 million Americans and costs society over $500 billion annually. This research seeks to map the brain’s response to vaporized marijuana, aiming to develop more targeted pain treatments.
The second 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.
The third trial explores how marijuana influences cognitive behaviors, such as decision-making and risk-taking, in people with HIV. Researchers will study how THC and CBD affect motivation, cognitive function, and reward learning, along with related biomarkers.
The fourth study will investigate the combined effects of marijuana and HIV on brain health and inflammation, offering potential insights for treating brain diseases and inflammatory conditions.
The fifth trial aims to discover how marijuana relieves pain in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), using a variety of tests to see if cannabinoids can stabilize and reduce CRPS-related pain.
Those interested in participating in any of these studies can find more information and apply through the UCSD Clinical Trials website by clicking here.
