On Feb. 8, Colorado State Representative Yadira Caraveo shared some of her concerns regarding the potency of THC concentrate in cannabis products during a town hall meeting. From her work in pediatrics, Caraveo explained the case of a patient who regularly ingested high-strength marijuana and was hospitalized for excessive vomiting. Instances like this led to Caraveo’s proposal of the bill.

Cannabis reporter Jake Browne has an opposing perspective on what Caraveo has observed. He said, “Representative Caraveo links an experience of a single patient to high potency THC. But the symptoms that she reported sounded exactly like Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) to me. There is absolutely no research that potency and CHS are linked.”

Dr. Cinnamon Bidwell, a professor at CU Boulder in the department of psychology and neuroscience at the Institute of Cognitive Science, studies the overlap between drug use and mental health. She weighed in, stating, “There is not any difference in how negative effects [of cannabis use] look acutely. When intoxicated, it looks very similar to the administration of lower potency forms. At least in adults who are regular users, these short-term effects look very similar.” 

Dr. Budwell elaborated, saying, “People are not more intoxicated after the use of concentrates than they are after the use of average potency forms of cannabis. But concentrate users have a much higher THC exposure each time they use. It raises the question of long-term neurobiological or psychological properties that may actually lead to increased risk from the use of these products.”

Caraveo’s first draft of the bill proposed a ban on medical and recreational cannabis products with a THC potency exceeding 15%. 

Browne expressed his concern with the strength limit, stating, “It [the bill] would destroy the market for whole plant extracts. It would force producers to unnaturally add back in non-psychoactive materials that serve no purpose except to meet these guidelines. So what will the state be forcing people to inhale at that point? Excess plant material and chemicals and we don’t know what that would look like.”

The bill, when originally proposed, was not only a concern for recreational users and the marijuana industry. It posed challenges for those dependent on medical marijuana, which tends to have higher amounts of THC. Caraveo later edited her earlier version of the bill’s proposal, stating that it would not limit the access of high potency products for medical marijuana users.

“We know that there are risks from THC, and we need more data on additional risks from high potency. But I worry that a potency cap is going to move everything to a black market and potentially increase risks,” Dr. Bidwell said, addressing potential issues with the bill.

Browne offered his two cents that, “If this bill passed, it would be one of the single biggest failures of Colorado’s state government to understand and meaningfully regulate cannabis.” Although he is in fervent opposition to the bill, he recognizes the research that points to THC’s mental health effects. 

“I think there is interesting research coming out about the potential for THC to trigger psychosis or schizophrenia in people,” Browne said. 

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s 2020 Report on Monitoring Health Concerns Related to Marijuana in Colorado reported that “An important acute effect of THC is psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, paranoia, and delusional beliefs during intoxication, and these symptoms are worse with higher doses. Daily or near-daily marijuana use/consumption as well as using marijuana with THC concentration >10% is associated with developing a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia.”

In terms of THC potency and cannabis use as a whole, Browne advises that “Individuals take it slow if they are trying cannabis products for the first time. If they feel like they are experiencing something abnormal with regards to their mental health, take that seriously.”

For the bill specifically, Dr. Bidwell proposed that any policy which gets passed “has to go along with additional research dollars to understand the impact of potency. My takeaway is that we want to support research that can provide clear answers to these really important questions, like how do we reduce the real risks of THC without creating additional problems?”

Caraveo’s proposal is still in the process of becoming a completed bill to be reviewed in the General Assembly. As new findings on THC potency are being reported and Colorado constituents react, the bill’s contents are subject to change.