Jacqueline Collins
Audio By Carbonatix
The health impacts of extracted marijuana products, a recent target of some Colorado lawmakers, are cloudy and contradictory, according to a research review overseen by the Colorado School of Public Health.
The project was authorized by a law enacted in 2021 that also created several new restrictions for registered medical marijuana patients, doctors and concentrated THC products, also known as hash, wax, distillate, resin or rosin. Under the law, the Colorado School of Public Health was instructed to review studies to determine if highly potent THC products produced adverse mental or physical health outcomes for kids, young adults, people with pre-existing mental health conditions, pregnant and nursing women, and infants or children exposed in pre- and post-natal stages.
After screening over 66,000 studies, the SPH team found 452 that were relevant to health effects of concentrated THC products, and only offered “limited” information in relation to the research.
“The challenges to applying the literature include lack of standardized methods for assessing use of the wide range of cannabis products, and the many different possible health effects of using high-concentration products that have been studied. Additionally, the team noted that the THC concentrations used for many past research studies were much lower than the concentrations that are typically available for purchase today. One reason for this difference is that government-funded research studies have been generally limited to lower concentration products,” according to an SPH statement.
Federally approved researchers have complained about the poor quality of marijuana provided for their studies, with new production facilities just now being licensed and approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Additionally, new forms of THC extraction are considered on the cutting edge of commercial marijuana, and federal studies continue to struggle to replicate the majority of hash products sold in dispensaries.
Because of the limited research available for review, SPH researchers concluded that there was a moderate amount of evidence that highly potent THC products can affect mental health. However, research also showed a moderate amount of evidence that the same products can be “beneficial applications” for users suffering from pre-existing mental health conditions.
“There was a moderate amount of evidence that high-concentration THC can have adverse effects on those with pre-existing conditions such as psychosis, but there are also studies that show beneficial outcomes from the use of high-concentration cannabis on other mental health conditions such as PTSD, anxiety and depression,” says SPH professor Greg Tung.
Like many other marijuana research reviews before it, the HB 1317 project ended with a common conclusion: More studies and more accurate representations of commercial marijuana products are needed. According to the SPH, there will be a review period and input from the state Scientific Review Council, which includes “complete systematic reviews” related to specific marijuana and mental health outcomes.
“Although there are some limited to moderate signals on the adverse and beneficial effects of high concentration THC, we recommend caution in interpretation of the evidence,” the SPH study notes.
During the 2021 session of the Colorado Legislature, medical marijuana access and commercial THC potency were targeted by lobbies representing parents, public educators and health-care representatives. Colorado health professionals declared a state of emergency in youth mental health that year, naming marijuana as a contributing factor, while CDPHE data showed that the use of extracted marijuana products had more than doubled among teenagers from 2015 to 2019.
Commercial marijuana concentrates can consist of between 60 percent and upwards of 90 percent THC, and are generally vaporized or inhaled over high heat. Citing anecdotal evidence, proponents of HB 1317 suggested that teenage medical marijuana patients were illegally supplying children with extracted THC products from the medical market. However, HB 1317 did not authorize a survey or study into the connection between medical marijuana patients and youth use.
“Just like any substance, education and moderation are the keys, and the release of this report is further confirmation that there is not enough credible research around the issue of potency. We should be creating policies based on peer-reviewed, accredited research and best practices, and we should not be looking at any additional regulations on potency levels in cannabis until we have sound research,” Marijuana Industry Group board chair Tiffany Goldman says in response to the release of the SPH report. “The industry looks forward to reviewing and evaluating future research on this topic and continuing to work with regulators and lawmakers to create policies that keep kids safe and the doors of small businesses open.”
As part of the review’s release, the SPH created a new, interactive evidence map of the 452 studies included in its research, with every study accessible.
