'Willingness to Take Again' Better Predicted Cannabis Abuse Potential Than 'Drug Liking'

Higher ratings of Willingness to Take Again (OR=1.04) were significantly associated with increased odds of self-administering active THC cannabis over a monetary alternative. Higher Stimulated ratings were associated with decreased odds of choosing placebo cannabis (OR=0.94). Drug Liking was not the most predictive measure, contrary to FDA recommendations.

Retrospective analysis combining data from 4 previous studies across 2 research sites. 89 daily cannabis users (71 male, 18 female) completed cannabis self-administration sessions with a money alternative ($0.50 or $1.00) and subjective effects questionnaires. THC concentrations were 5.5-5.9%. Generalized linear models tested which subjective ratings predicted self-administration.

The FDA uses Drug Liking as the primary measure in abuse potential assessments for new drugs. If this measure is not the best predictor of actual drug-taking behavior for cannabinoids, regulatory evaluations of novel cannabinoid products may need updating.

As the cannabinoid product market expands with novel compounds (delta-8, THCA, HHC), regulators need accurate tools to assess abuse potential. This study suggests the current FDA-recommended approach may miss the mark for cannabinoids, potentially leading to inaccurate risk assessments.

Retrospective analysis of combined datasets with methodological differences between studies. Small sample with predominantly male participants. Daily cannabis users may not represent occasional users. Low monetary alternatives ($0.50-$1.00) may limit ecological validity. THC concentrations were similar across studies but administration procedures varied.