The High Sensation and its Role in Medical Cannabis Therapy

New research suggests that the high sensation experienced by medical cannabis users plays a crucial role in symptom relief. The study found a strong correlation between the high sensation and a 7.7% increase in symptom relief. Higher levels of THC were associated with the sensation, while vaporizers reduced it. It was also noted that the relationship varied among individuals and age groups.

In a new study titled “Understanding the High Sensation and Its Role in Medical Cannabis Treatment Outcomes,” published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, researchers from the University of New Mexico, in collaboration with Releaf App™, discovered that patients who reported the “high” sensation experienced a 7.7% greater relief in symptoms and an increase in positive effects such as “relaxation” and “peace.”

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The High Sensation Study

The author and psychology professor, Jacob Vigil, explained the motivation behind conducting this research into the high sensation. “The high sensation is poorly defined in the scientific literature but is typically associated with both impairment and euphoria,” said Vigil.

“Usually, the high sensation is assumed to be the goal of recreational use but is limited for the therapeutic potential of cannabis. In this article, we test the validity of this assumption and find that the ‘high’ sensation may be an inevitable component of using marijuana for medicinal purposes.”

In a study involving nearly 2,000 patients who recorded over 16,000 sessions of medical cannabis use using cannabis flowers, the study found that 49% of participants reported experiencing the high sensation. The high sensation was strongly correlated with various effects. The most correlated positive side effects were “chill” and “happiness,” while the most correlated negative side effects were “dry mouth” and “red eyes.”

The High Sensation and Its Association With Symptom Relief

Regarding symptom relief, the study showed strong positive correlations between the high sensation and greater symptom relief, even after controlling for levels of THC and CBD, dosage, method of consumption (pipe, joint, vaporizer), and initial symptom severity. This suggests that the high sensation may be a fundamental component of effective marijuana use as a medicine rather than an incidental negative effect to be avoided in clinical settings.

THC concentration was most strongly associated with the high sensation, while using a vaporizer instead of smoking cannabis flowers was associated with a lower likelihood of experiencing the high sensation. Previous work has shown that THC levels are strong predictors of symptom relief, but the results of this study demonstrate that higher THC levels are no longer statistically significant predictors of symptom relief when the high sensation is taken into account. In other words, higher THC increases symptom relief only when the patient feels high.

Research Results Regarding Medical Cannabis

The research findings held true for both male and female patients, at different levels of prior cannabis experience, and for symptoms including anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue. However, the high sensation did not increase symptom relief among individuals with insomnia, and the association between the high sensation and improvement in symptom relief was weaker among patients over the age of 40, suggesting a diversity of relationships among individual users and applications.

According to the lead author and economics professor, Sarah Stith, the results of this study highlight the challenges associated with using cannabis as medicine.

“Cannabis products are incredibly variable in terms of phytochemical composition, and patients differ substantially beyond the factors considered in this study, such as symptom type, gender, age, and cannabis experience,” said Stith.

The High Sensation Study Conclusions

The study concludes with recommendations for stakeholders. 

Clinicians should be aware that the high sensation is likely a key component of effective medical cannabis treatment for many patients.

Future researchers should consider the relationship between the high sensation and patient outcomes for cannabis products beyond flowers, including concentrates with significantly higher THC levels and edible products widely used by medical patients, as well as the role of phytochemicals beyond THC and CBD.

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(Featured illustration by RDNE Stock project via Pexels)

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