In July 2020, a study by University of Colorado Boulder in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revealed an interesting finding – namely, that high THC levels do not necessarily get you higher.
The study assessed 121 regular cannabis users, half of whom consumed cannabis concentrates (oils, waxes, etc.) containing either 70% or 90% THC, with the other half using flowers containing 16% or 24% THC.
During the test day, the researchers examined blood THC levels, intoxication level (“feeling high”), and had the participants perform various neurobehavioral tasks in order to measure attention, memory, focus, and balance.
Research Findings:
Those who used concentrates had significantly higher blood THC levels, compared to the flower users.
However, findings were identical for the two groups in all other parameters, with the THC having a direct effect on participants mainly in terms of verbal memory, focus, and balance.
The study has also raised the question of whether regular use of high THC levels may put people at greater risk of developing side effects in the long term.