Abstract
Rationale
Marijuana is believed to increase impulsivity and risk taking, but the processes whereby it affects such behaviors are not understood. Indeed, either the pharmacologic effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or the expectancy of receiving it may lead to deficits in cognitive processing and increases in risk taking.
Objectives and methods
We examined the relative effects of expecting to receive active marijuana and the pharmacological drug effects using a balanced placebo design. Young adult regular marijuana users (N = 136) were randomly assigned into one of four groups in a two × two instructional set (Told THC vs. Told no THC) by drug administration (smoked marijuana with 2.8 % THC vs. placebo) design. Dependent measures included subjective intoxication, behavioral impulsivity, and decision-making related to risky behaviors.
Results
Active THC, regardless of expectancy, impaired inhibition on the Stop Signal and Stroop Color-Word tasks. Expectancy of having smoked THC, regardless of active drug, decreased impulsive decision-making on a delay discounting task among participants reporting no deception and increased perception of sexual risk among women, consistent with a compensatory effect. Expectancy of smoking THC in combination with active THC increased negative perceptions from risky alcohol use. Active drug and expectancy independently increased subjective intoxication.
Conclusions
Results highlight the importance of marijuana expectancy effects as users believing they are smoking marijuana may compensate for expected intoxication effects when engaged in deliberate decision-making by making less impulsive and risky decisions. Effects of marijuana on impulsive disinhibition, by contrast, reflect direct pharmacologic effects for which participants did not compensate.
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Notes
Participants in the “Told THC” conditions were told, “You have been assigned to the condition to smoke an active marijuana cigarette that contains THC. THC is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid that ‘gets people high.’ The dosage of THC contained in each cigarette is considered to be a moderate dose for the average person. Marijuana cigarettes came from the National Institute of Drug Abuse and marijuana was grown by the government for research purposes. In this condition, we need to test how smoking marijuana will affect your mood, responses, and behavior. Participants in this condition will be compared to others who receive placebo without any THC.” Participants in the “Told Placebo” conditions were told, “You have been assigned to the condition to smoke a placebo cigarette. A marijuana placebo cigarette does not contain THC. THC, the active ingredient that gets people high, along with other cannabinoids, was extracted from the cigarettes by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which provides them for research. Smoking this placebo cigarette will have no effect on your mood and behavior. In this condition, we need to test how people operate in a normal state of consciousness while engaging in all other actions associated with smoking. Participants in this condition will be compared to others who receive marijuana with THC.”
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by a grant R01 DA021403 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to Jane Metrik, a Research Career Development Award from the Medical Research Service of the Department of Veteran Affairs to John McGeary, and Senior Research Career Scientist awards from the Department of Veteran Affairs to Drs. Monti and Rohsenow. The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. James Harper, III, Amy Mochel, Suzanne Sales, Timothy Souza, and Adrienne Umali for their contribution to the project.
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Metrik, J., Kahler, C.W., Reynolds, B. et al. Balanced placebo design with marijuana: Pharmacological and expectancy effects on impulsivity and risk taking. Psychopharmacology 223, 489–499 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2740-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2740-y