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Field Sobriety Test for Cannabis
Author(s) -
Pabon Elisa,
Wit Harriet
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.825.10
Subject(s) - cannabis , sobriety , placebo , psychology , task (project management) , dronabinol , phone , audiology , medicine , psychiatry , cannabinoid , linguistics , philosophy , alternative medicine , management , receptor , pathology , economics
Cannabis and its active ingredient delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been shown to impair memory, reaction time and attention. However, it is difficult to assess these impairments in the nonlaboratory setting. We have developed a prototype for a phone application called Am I Stoned? . As a first step, we tested the app in a within‐subjects double‐blind placebo‐controlled study with THC (0, 7.5, 15 mg). Participants completed both iPhone‐based and standard computer tests of cognitive speed, reaction time, fine motor ability, and memory. As a secondary aim we also assessed participants' ability to estimate their performance impairment. Twenty‐four healthy experienced non‐daily cannabis users completed a laboratory study, which included three 4‐hour experimental sessions in which participants consumed a capsule containing THC (7.5, 15 mg) or placebo. They completed all tasks at both two and three hours after taking the capsule. Performance was impaired by THC in three of the four computer tasks, but only one of the iPhone tasks. It is likely that the computer tasks were more sensitive to THC impairment than the app task because the computer tasks were longer (15–20 min compared to 5–7 min), providing more opportunity to detect a drug effect. With regard to self‐assessments, subjects were in general accurate in their awareness of impairments on the tasks. In a follow‐up study we will improve the tasks used in the phone application to increase their sensitivity to THC impairment. This research is likely to lead to sensitive field tests that will allow users to objectively evaluate their ability to perform psychomotor or cognitive tasks. The research will also identify conditions under which individuals are or are not aware of their impaired state. Support or Funding Information This research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA02812 (HdW) This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .