Cannabis Use Research Study
Researchers at Rutgers University are conducting a study on how cannabis use relates to sleep and stress in women.
Fast Facts
Must be a cannabis user
Women
ages 21-40
Compensation
Provided Up To $500 or more
Conducted in
New Jersey
Study Background
Understanding how cannabis affects women’s sleep and stress responses is essential to improving future health recommendations.
Many women use cannabis, yet very little research has explored how it influences sleep patterns, daily functioning, and the body’s natural stress responses. Sleep and stress regulation are deeply connected to overall well-being, and understanding how cannabis interacts with these systems can help researchers develop more informed guidance for women of reproductive age.
This study follows women over several weeks in their natural environment while they go about their normal routines. By collecting information on sleep, daily behaviors, and hormone patterns, researchers aim to build a clearer picture of how cannabis use may influence women’s physiology across the menstrual cycle.
Study Background
Understanding how cannabis affects women’s sleep and stress responses is essential to improving future health recommendations.
Many women use cannabis, yet very little research has explored how it influences sleep patterns, daily functioning, and the body’s natural stress responses. Sleep and stress regulation are deeply connected to overall well-being, and understanding how cannabis interacts with these systems can help researchers develop more informed guidance for women of reproductive age.
This study follows women over several weeks in their natural environment while they go about their normal routines. By collecting information on sleep, daily behaviors, and hormone patterns, researchers aim to build a clearer picture of how cannabis use may influence women’s physiology across the menstrual cycle.
Additional Information
Researchers want to better understand how cannabis use affects sleep and stress responses in women of reproductive age.
You may be eligible for this study if you meet the following criteria.
Inclusion Criteria:
Women ages 21-40
Use cannabis
Have a regular menstrual cycle and do not use hormonal birth control
Not currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 6 months
If you are eligible and interested, the study involves the following:
- 1 virtual orientation session where you will answer some questions and complete a series of surveys about your health behaviors
- 2 in-person meetings at our lab in Rutgers University New Brunswick
- ~4 in-person meetings at a convenient public location of your choice
- ~60 at-home days of monitoring your menstrual cycle and hormone levels (via a free phone app & fertility monitor) and sleep (via an actigraph watch and a twice daily sleep diary)
- 16 at-home nights of pricking your finger to collect dried blood spots and wearing three additional devices on your forehead, chest, and wrist
- The in-person meetings last ~1 hour and involve discussing study activities and collecting/exchanging study equipment. None of the measurements involve any known health risks.
Participants will receive a $20 gas gift card, $480 or more in gift cards, and a free PAX vaporizer. At the end of the study, participants may opt in to receive a free health screening, such as a body-composition scan or VO₂max test.
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.
The IRB ID is: Pro2024001182
PI information: Dr. Andrea Spaeth
Rutgers Sleep Lab Loree Gymnasium, 70 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8525