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NCT Number: NCT07699198

Developing and Strengthening Cannabis Warnings: Warning Message Testing

The purpose of this activity is to identify promising cannabis warning messages from different themes. Participants will be adults who live in the United States, including both people who use cannabis and those who do not use cannabis. In an online within-subjects experiment, participants will be randomly assigned to view 7 cannabis warning messages from different themes developed as part of previous study activities. After viewing each cannabis warning message, participants will rate the message on awareness, clarity, believability, cognitive elaboration, perceived message effectiveness, and reactance. The survey will take 15-20 minutes.

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Key information

Conditions

Cannabis Behavior Chemically-Induced Disorders Marijuana Abuse Marijuana Use Mental Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States

Location contact

Sarah D Kowitt, PhD, MPH

CONTACT

[email protected]

919-974-4980

About this study

The purpose of this activity is to identify promising cannabis warning messages from different themes.

Setting: An online survey of adults who live in the United States.

Participants: An estimated N=1500 adults who live in the United States, including both people who use cannabis and those who do not use cannabis. Participants will be recruited by Qualtrics Services. Participants who are eligible for the study will view a consent form as part of the survey and check a box to indicate that they agree to participate in the study. Once the participant has completed consent, they will be able to begin the survey.

Procedures: Participants will complete a within-subjects experiment in which they view and rate cannabis warning messages from different themes. Participants will be screened for inclusion and answer questions on demographic information and susceptibility to cannabis use. Participants will then be randomly assigned to view 7 cannabis warning messages from different themes developed as part of previous study activities. After viewing each cannabis warning message, participants will rate the message on awareness, clarity, believability, cognitive elaboration, perceived message effectiveness, and reactance. There will be a total of 11 warning themes plus control. After viewing and rating their assigned cannabis warning messages, participants will answer additional questions about cannabis risk perceptions and use behavior (if applicable), additional demographic information, and about their use of tobacco and alcohol. The survey will take 15-20 minutes.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18 years of age and older
  • Live in the United States

Exclusion criteria

  • Age less than 18 years of age
  • Does not live in the United States

Treatment and study plan

Constituents

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about constituents.

Cognitive Functioning

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about cognitive functioning.

Cardiovascular Health

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about cardiovascular health.

Motor Vehicle Crashes

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about motor vehicle crashes.

Dependence

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about dependence.

Psychosis and Schizophrenia

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about psychosis and schizophrenia.

Mental health

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about mental health.

Reproductive Health

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about reproductive health.

Respiratory Health

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about respiratory health.

Edibles

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about edibles.

Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a message about cannabis hyperemesis syndrome.

Control

Behavioral

Participants will view and rate a control message.

Primary outcomes

  1. Cognitive Elaboration

    Time frame: Baseline (one time online survey)

    A one item measure of cognitive elaboration to assess how much a message makes the participant think about the health risks of cannabis. Response options are on a 5-point scale from 5='A great deal' to 1= 'Not at all', with higher scores indicating higher cognitive elaboration.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perceived Message Effectiveness

    Time frame: Baseline (one time online survey)

    This survey item assesses perceived message effectiveness in terms of how concerned the message makes the participant feel about the health effects of using cannabis. Response options are on a 5-point scale from 5='A great deal' to 1='Not at all' with higher scores indicating higher perceived message effectiveness.

Other outcomes

  1. Clarity

    Time frame: Baseline (one time online survey)

    This survey item assesses the extent to which a participant feels that the message is clear. Response options are on a 5-point scale from 5='Very clear' to 1='Not clear at all' with higher scores indicating that a message is more clear.

  2. Believability

    Time frame: Baseline (one time online survey)

    This survey item assesses the extent to which a participant feels that the message is believable. Response options are on a 5-point scale from 5='Very believable' to 1='Not at all believable' with higher scores indicating that a message is more believable.

  3. Reactance

    Time frame: Baseline (one time online survey)

    This survey item assesses reactance in terms of how much a participant is annoyed by the message. Response options are on a 5-point scale from 5='A great deal' to 1='Not at all' with higher scores indicating higher reactance to the message.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Sarah D Kowitt, PhD, MPH

CONTACT

[email protected]

919-974-4980

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jul 13, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 13, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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