Cannabis Users Took Fewer Hits of Concentrates Than Flower, But Heavy Users Chose Stronger Products
Cannabis users consumed smaller amounts of high-potency concentrates compared to flower, showing some self-titration, but those who preferred higher-potency products within a category consumed more, not less.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
When switching between product types (flower vs. concentrates), 59-92% of users consumed larger amounts of flower than concentrates, suggesting self-titration across products. However, within a single product type, users who chose higher-THC versions consumed them in larger amounts, more frequently, and had started using cannabis at a younger age.
Key Numbers
8,158 participants; 52% female; 73% daily use; mean age 42; flower-only users: 8-14 hits vs. concentrate-only: 5-8 hits; within-product correlations between potency and amount: rs = 0.07-0.29 for flower, rs = 0.09-0.25 for concentrates; higher potency also correlated with more frequent use and earlier initiation
How They Did This
Four online surveys of 8,158 US cannabis consumers reporting past-month flower and/or concentrate use. Participants reported typical amounts (hits or grams) and potencies (%THC). Researchers analyzed potency-amount relationships within-subject/between-product and between-subject/within-product.
Why This Research Matters
The self-titration hypothesis suggests cannabis users naturally adjust their intake to maintain a consistent THC dose. This study partially supports it: users do take fewer hits of concentrates than flower, but the finding that heavy users seek out AND consume more of higher-potency products within a category challenges the idea that titration fully protects against escalating exposure.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis legalization expands access to high-potency products, the self-titration debate has major policy implications. This study suggests users do partially adjust, but that the highest-risk users (early initiators, frequent users) actually consume more of the strongest products, not less.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported amounts and potencies, online convenience sample skewed toward daily users (73%), cross-sectional design cannot determine directionality, does not measure actual THC blood levels to verify titration
Questions This Raises
- ?Does partial self-titration meaningfully reduce health risks from high-potency products?
- ?Would potency caps change consumption patterns?
- ?Is the tendency to consume more of stronger products a marker of cannabis use disorder?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 59-92% of users consumed less concentrate than flower, but high-potency preference predicted larger amounts consumed
- Evidence Grade:
- Large national sample with multiple surveys, but self-reported data and overrepresentation of daily users limit generalizability
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- Self-titration of cannabis consumption: An epidemiological perspective.
- Published In:
- Journal of psychiatric research, 191, 527-534 (2025)
- Authors:
- Borodovsky, Jacob T(6), Murphy, Eilis(2), Hasin, Deborah S(31), Livne, Ofir, Wall, Melanie, Aharonovich, Efrat, Wisell, Caroline, Struble, Cara A, Habib, Mohammad I, Budney, Alan J
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06098
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do cannabis users naturally adjust their dose when using stronger products?
Partly. Most users took fewer hits of concentrates than flower, showing between-product self-titration. But within a product type, people who used higher-THC versions consumed more, not less, suggesting titration has limits.
Who uses the most cannabis?
Users who preferred higher-potency versions of a given product type consumed them in larger amounts, used cannabis more frequently, and tended to have started using at a younger age.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06098APA
Borodovsky, Jacob T; Murphy, Eilis; Hasin, Deborah S; Livne, Ofir; Wall, Melanie; Aharonovich, Efrat; Wisell, Caroline; Struble, Cara A; Habib, Mohammad I; Budney, Alan J. (2025). Self-titration of cannabis consumption: An epidemiological perspective.. Journal of psychiatric research, 191, 527-534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.09.014
MLA
Borodovsky, Jacob T, et al. "Self-titration of cannabis consumption: An epidemiological perspective.." Journal of psychiatric research, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.09.014
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Self-titration of cannabis consumption: An epidemiological p..." RTHC-06098. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/borodovsky-2025-selftitration-of-cannabis-consumption
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.