Drugs&Behavior Exam 3: Marijuana

what is believed of the different species of marijuana

commonly believed to have different effects, doesn’t really

different species

cannabis sativa, cannabis indica, cannabis ruderalis

cannabis sativa

longer, narrow leaves; "head high”, energizing 

cannabis indica

wider, flatter leaves; “body high”, sedative

cannabis ruderalis

not much flower; not recreational, grown primarily in Eastern Europe for hemp

cannabinoids

more than 100 species

THC

delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol 

CBD

cannabidiol (delta-8)

how are THC drinks legal in WI?

by using less than 0.3% in products, it is classified as hemp

hemp

0%; 2018 Farm Bill - less than 0.3%

marijuana

~3.5%; highly subjective

sinsemilla

~10%; cannabis comes in male and female varieties, using only female variety = increased budding

hashish

~15-20%; reduced into bricks by heat and pressure

hash oil

~30-50%; high heat and pressure applied, can OD on because percentage is so high

China (6-8,000 BC)

hemp fiber pots; hemp paper (predated and was cheaper than wood pulped paper)

earliest known medical use of marijuana

China, 2700 BC: used to treat asthma 

Marijuana in America

cash crop in the South US until replaced by cotton in the 1890s; cultivated by both Spanish and English settlers

Europe

hash popularized by French Foregin Legion soldiers serving in North America

Club de Hachichin - Paris 1840

Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas; creative people would smoke together for creativity (cultural) 

1920s US

increased popularity because of Prohibition

Marijuana Act of 1937

outlawed the drug, not the plant

hippies

brought back marijuana into modern day; post war world, culture, and young people

Nixon’s movement against marijuana

people against anti-war movement were Jews, making marijuana a felony (schedule 1 drug), it would discredit the anti-war movement

reasons for rising use of marijuana since 2000s

change in hollywood (comedies), medical marijuana, decriminalization, and legalization

ED50

10 micrograms/kg

TD50

unknown, highly individualized 

LD50

above 1000mg/kg: no adequate research on this, however

cannabinoid receptors

CB1 (CNS), CB2 (PNS): this distinction was more important before marijuana began to be legalized because of stigma

anadamide

naturally occurring compound (fatty acid NT), in the body that binds to cannabinoid receptors and plays a role in regulating mood, memory, appetite, and pain sensation

acute effects

generally sedative, appetite (anti-nausea), sexual arousal (low levels), sensory distortion, euphoria, loss of motor control, and loss of attention, slowed thinking (perception of time)

chronic

hypothalamic-gonadal, COPD & lung cancer, increased risk of schizophrenia, cannabis hyperemsis syndrome (CHS), immune functioning, cognitive functioning

hypothalamic-gonadal effects

reproductive issues between both genders

COPD and lung cancer

advertisement against THC is misleading due to wanting to scare young people; last 20 years = pop. of people who only smoke weed, not both weed and tobacco

increased risk of schizophrenia

some evidence of increased risk if predisposed and are chronic users who started young (13-14 y/o) 

cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS)

chronic use causes violent illness, and serious dehydration

amotivational syndrome

chronic use of marijuana can cause a lack of motivation, or impaired desire, and reduce productivity, as well as poor ST memory

withdrawal

cravings, weight loss (western belief), insomnia

support of gateway hypothesis

early exposure to marijuana; intrinsic and sociocultural arguments

challenge of gateway hypothesis

• for 50% of all illicit drug users, marijuana is the only drug used

• alcohol, tobacco predate marijuana use for most teens

treatments

• mental health-based (CBT, MET, 12-step)

• some research in cannabinoid agonist

• some research with opiate blockers 

synthetic cannabis

greater binding affinity (higher potency) - 100-800x

effects of synthetic cannabis

risk of heart attack and seizures

controversies

• THC drinks

• Stop and frisk

• OWI/OSHA

• Inconsistency between federal and state legislation

• does decriminalization work (portland v portugal) 

portland v portugal

• portugal: decriminalization = drug rate drops

• portland: decriminalization = drug rate went up