# An observational study of the effects of edible cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids on pain, inflammation, and cognition

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO · 2020 · $676,228

## Abstract

Chronic pain effects 76 million Americans and is the most commonly cited reason for use of medical marijuana.
Marijuana and its constituent cannabinoids, including 9-delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are thought to be
involved in reducing pain and associated inflammation. However, THC also is associated with harmful
cognitive side effects. Synergistic interactions of cannabinoids are believed to produce different effects on pain
and inflammation, as well as on cognitive function as compared to THC alone. For example, cannabidiol (CBD)
is another primary cannabinoid that may work synergistically with THC in a multi-target analgesic and antiinflammatory
approach. In addition, CBD does not have psychoactive properties and is thought to attenuate
the negative cognitive side effects of THC. Despite limited data on their effects, there is a vast array of widely
used marijuana products available for pain treatment across dispensaries throughout the US. These marijuana
products contain a range cannabinoid potencies and ratios, which may have a large impact on their effects in
chronic pain patients, including cognitive side effects. We propose an observational study to examine the
effects of cannabinoid levels in blood on pain relief, inflammation, and cognitive dysfunction in chronic low back
pain patients who choose to use edible cannabis in the context of a short-term (2 weeks) mechanistic study
using a patient-oriented approach and a mobile pharmacology lab that solves many of the logistical problems
with marijuana research. Our global hypothesis is that our observations of self-report and objective
measures of the effects of marijuana edible products by pain patients who choose to use these
products will vary as a function of the ratio of THC to CBD in their blood. Further, we hypothesize that
cognitive impacts observed will differ by the THC/CBD ratio in blood. To that end, we will measure the
association of pain, inflammation, and cognitive impairment with the levels of THC and CBD in the blood of
pain patients who wish to use edible cannabis to treat their pain. This approach is ecologically valid and timely
given that marijuana edibles of various cannabinoid potencies and ratios are widely used medically by patients
in our state and across the US, yet absolutely no research has been done on these products to date. Blood
levels of THC and CBD will be measured before, during, and after the exposure period (when participants in
the observational study ingest a product they have purchased and choose to ingest) to determine whether
there are associations with pain, inflammation, and cognitive dysfunction. Results from this study will provide
critical and timely data to the public and health professionals regarding the effects of self-directed marijuana
use, including the associations of various cannabinoids, on pain and related processes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10000826
- **Project number:** 5R01AT009541-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
- **Principal Investigator:** L. Cinnamon Bidwell
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $676,228
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-15 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10000826

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10000826, An observational study of the effects of edible cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids on pain, inflammation, and cognition (5R01AT009541-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10000826. Licensed CC0.

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