Washington State University team receives $670K a grant to reduce cannabis misuse, targeting young adults in legal states.
Washington State University (WSU) researchers have received a $670,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to tackle cannabis misuse among young adults.
The project, led by Stacey Hust and Jessica Willoughby, will focus on educating college students in three states where cannabis is legal. The states are Washington, Illinois and New York, reported WSU Insider.
A particular focus of the study is cannabis edibles, which are increasingly popular but often misunderstood.
The three-year NIH-funded initiative aims to develop and test a technology-based intervention designed to educate young adults on the risks of cannabis. The focus is set on edibles.
Edibles are a growing segment of the cannabis market. Yet, many users are unaware of the delayed onset of effects and misunderstand portion sizes, which can lead to accidental overconsumption.
"Adolescents and young adults are not necessarily educated consumers when it comes to cannabis," said Hust. "Our research has shown that many do not understand the THC content in edibles or how to properly gauge serving sizes."
The intervention project includes a mixed-media video presentation. It will be hosted by a former cannabis marketer and is designed to correct these misconceptions by helping users assess cannabis products more effectively.
The program emphasizes reading labels and understanding THC levels, using examples like cannabis-infused sodas.
Preliminary results have shown the intervention successfully increased cannabis knowledge and awareness of health risks.
Now, with the NIH funding, the WSU team will refine the program and test it on a larger scale, with plans to customize it for different states’ regulations.
Ultimately, the researchers hope to secure further funding for a national clinical trial to assess its long-term impact on cannabis use and misuse.
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