The Science - Tea on THC

The Tea on THC Campaign Overview

The high-concentration marijuana products of today contain much higher levels of the psychoactive ingredient THC than products of the past.

To learn more about this trend, the Colorado General Assembly directed the Colorado School of Public Health to review the scientific literature on the prevalence and health effects of high concentration cannabis use, make recommendations to the legislature, and create a public health awareness campaign.

The “Tea on THC” campaign will arm Coloradans with facts and real-world testimonials to raise awareness, encourage dialogue, and provide alternative coping strategies for substance use.

Understanding the Problem

High-potency marijuana use is on the rise. And the THC levels are rising even faster.

Today’s marijuana plants contain more THC than the pot of days gone by. Also, new high-concentration products (e.g., oil, shatter, dab, and edibles) deliver much more of the psychoactive ingredient, THC than smokable weed of the past. The speed and intensity of the high they produce are substantially different from what marijuana was capable of doing even a decade ago.

A Review of the Scientific Literature

To better understand the landscape, the school initiated the Cannabis Research & Policy Project, which assessed more than 66,000 published studies. In 2023, it released the Scoping Review on Health Effects of High-Concentration Cannabis Products report. While only a few hundred of the studies were deemed high enough quality to produce reliable answers, the study did identify consistent trends throughout the research:

Most first-time cannabis users are under 21.
The combination of higher-concentration marijuana and a high-concentration delivery method means users are getting unprecedented amounts of THC at unparalleled speed.
The concentration of the other primary compound in cannabis – CBD, which is not psychoactive and has therapeutic uses – is decreasing.

The concentration of THC in marijuana has been increasing steeply for decades.
Cannabis is being used during pregnancy for stress relief. Use is increasing among younger mothers, those living in urban areas, and those socioeconomically disadvantaged.
Frequent cannabis users are at increased risk of developing a major psychiatric disorder.

DOWNLOAD TEA ON THC KEY STATS

A Call to Study, Report, and Act

To inform policy, the Colorado General Assembly enacted HB21-1317 and tasked the school with three initiatives:

Review

Review the research on the physical and mental health effects of high concentration cannabis

Recommend

Establish a scientific review council to recommend evidence-based regulatory changes and propose funding of additional research to the Colorado General Assembly.

Educate

Create a public education campaign highlighting the effect of high concentration cannabis with an emphasis on the developing brain and mental health.