Few sex differences found in acute cannabis effects at moderate vaporized doses
Combining data from two RCTs of 40 participants, males and females showed very similar responses to vaporized cannabis (13.75 mg THC), with males performing better on a divided attention task but no differences in subjective effects, cardiovascular measures, or most blood levels.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After controlling for BMI and plasma THC, relatively few sex differences emerged. Males performed better on a divided attention task and had higher peak 11-COOH-THC levels. No differences in subjective drug effects, cardiovascular measures, or concentrations of THC, CBD, or other metabolites.
Key Numbers
Males: 21. Females: 19. THC dose: 13.75 mg vaporized. CBD dose: 13.75 mg (in some conditions). Males: better DAT performance, higher 11-COOH-THC. No sex differences in subjective effects or cardiovascular measures.
How They Did This
Combined data from two RCTs with 21 males and 19 females receiving vaporized cannabis (13.75 mg THC, with/without 13.75 mg CBD). Peak scores calculated for subjective effects, cognitive performance, cardiovascular effects, and plasma concentrations.
Why This Research Matters
As cannabis policies evolve, understanding whether men and women respond differently to cannabis is important for clinical dosing, driving impairment standards, and public health messaging.
The Bigger Picture
At moderate vaporized doses, sex differences in acute cannabis effects appear minimal, though higher doses or oral administration may reveal differences that this study could not detect.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Moderate sample size (n=40). Single dose level. Vaporized administration only. Combined data from two separate trials. Cannot generalize to edibles or higher doses.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would sex differences emerge at higher THC doses?
- ?Do oral cannabis products show more sex-dependent effects due to differential first-pass metabolism?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- No sex differences in subjective effects, cardiovascular measures, or THC levels
- Evidence Grade:
- Combined RCT data with appropriate controls for BMI and blood levels, though moderate sample size.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Sex differences in acute cannabis effects revisited: Results from two randomized, controlled trials.
- Published In:
- Addiction biology, 27(2), e13125 (2022)
- Authors:
- Arkell, Thomas R(10), Kevin, Richard C(16), Vinckenbosch, Frederick(2), Lintzeris, Nicholas, Theunissen, Eef, Ramaekers, Johannes G, McGregor, Iain S
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03682
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do men and women respond differently to cannabis?
At moderate vaporized doses, this study found very few differences. Males performed slightly better on a divided attention task, but subjective effects and cardiovascular responses were similar.
Does CBD affect the sex difference?
The study included conditions with and without CBD alongside THC, and sex differences remained minimal in both conditions.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03682APA
Arkell, Thomas R; Kevin, Richard C; Vinckenbosch, Frederick; Lintzeris, Nicholas; Theunissen, Eef; Ramaekers, Johannes G; McGregor, Iain S. (2022). Sex differences in acute cannabis effects revisited: Results from two randomized, controlled trials.. Addiction biology, 27(2), e13125. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.13125
MLA
Arkell, Thomas R, et al. "Sex differences in acute cannabis effects revisited: Results from two randomized, controlled trials.." Addiction biology, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.13125
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Sex differences in acute cannabis effects revisited: Results..." RTHC-03682. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/arkell-2022-sex-differences-in-acute
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.