Marijuana

Question 1

Cannabis Plant Types

Answer 1

• Indica: THC female plants
• Sativa: hemp and cannabidiol (CBD)
• Active ingredients: cannabinoids (over 100)
  
  • Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol: main active ingredient
  • Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol:
  • Cannabidiol (CBD): medicinal effects
• Synthetic marijuana different chemicals but same effects

Question 2

Canbis preparations and THC Concentrations

Answer 2

• Marijuana
  
  • Leaves and flowers
  • THC concentration: 1-10/12% (grows more over time)
• Sin Semilla
  
  • Unpollinated female flower
  • 8-18%
• Hash
  
  • Resin of leaves
  • THC concentration: 8-46%
• Hash oil or red oil
  
  • Boil hashish in alcohol
  • THC concentration 15-60% >> average amont seized 56%

Question 3

History

Answer 3

• Probably originated in Asia
• Cultivated in China (8000 BC) for
  
  • Fiber
  • Intoxication effects
  • Medical effects
• India >>recreational use
• Islam weed not forbidden in Koran
• Not in Europe til Napoleonic soldiers came back with hash
  
  • Didn’t realize it was hemp plant
  • Smoked and eaten with butter
  • Became popular in prohibition bc couldn’t drink but could smoke
• The campaign against Mexicans against marijuana
  
  • Reefer madness
  • Heavy tax placed on anyone associated with it “marijuana tax act”
  • Harry Anslinger made it illegal >> “violent drug”
• Pharmacological violence theory faded lead to “gateway theory”

Question 4

Marijuana today

Answer 4

• Legal in 11 states + DC
• Canada, Georgeia, South Africa, Spain, Uruguay

Question 5

Absorption (methods & storage)

Answer 5

• Inhalation:
  
  • Blood levels peak >> 15 min
  • Effects: 30-60 minutes
• Oral
  
  • Very Lipid soluble
  • Slowly increased speed adding oil >> baking it like cookies, brownies
  • If taken as a pill >> absorption incomplete
  • Peak effects >> 1-3 hours
• Distributes >> all areas of the body
• Accumulate in body fat
  
  • Urine test + days after using
  • Chronic users >> report a quicker high bc it’s already in the body
    *

Question 6

Endocannabinoids

Answer 6

• Brain & body have receptors for marijuana
  
  • Brain
    
    • Hippocampus
    • Basal Ganglia
    • Cortex
    • Mesolimbic pathway
    • hypothalamus
  • Body CB2 receptor
• Anandomine >> naturally occurring NT that has the same mechanism as THC
  
  • None traditional NT have retrograde action
  • Created in the presynaptic neuron
  • Retrograde messengers made on-demand not stored in vesicles
  • Bind to presynaptic receptors
  • Inhibit the release of Ca ++ channels >> NT can’t be released
  • Postsynaptic cell depolarized

Question 7

Physiological effects

Answer 7

• increase HR
• Blood vessels dialate red eyes
• increase or decrease apetite and sexual desire

Question 8

4 stages of high

Answer 8

• Buzz
• High
  
  • Euphoria
  • Exhilaration
  • Laughter
• Stoned
  
  • Relaxation
  • Visual illusions
  • slowing of time passage
• Comedown

Question 9

Health Problems

Answer 9

• Lung damage > Marijuana joint has same level of tar as tobacco, almost same CO…
• Puff for puff à Marijuana is as bad as tobacco or even worse
• The amount of tar and CO taken per joint is higher than in tobacco
• Immune system à in the lab THC suppresses it. In real lifeànot clear
• Cardiovascular system à can worsen preexisting conditions
• Reproduction à
• Males:
  
  • Decreases testosterone
  • Decreases sperm count (10 joints/day for 4 weeks)
  • Increases abnormal sperm
• Females:
  
  • Decreases LH (triggers ovulation)
  • Pregnancy Lower weights, altered response to visual stimuli
• Cognitive effects Amotivational syndrome
• Changes in the person’s lifestyle, motivations and ambitions
• Hard to establish a direct causal link to marijuana

Question 10

Medical Controversy

Answer 10

• Marijuana is addictive
• Causes cognitive deficits
• Smoking marijuana is bad for the lungs
• Can’t be injected > not water soluble

Question 11

Medical uses

Answer 11

• Glaucoma > Reduces intraocular pressure
• Asthma > Bronchodilatation
• Nausea and weight loss > Cancer, AIDS, anorexia

–Other antiemetic are ineffective frequently