Cannabis Flashcards
7 priorities of cannabis act (7)
- protect health of young persons by restricting their access to cannabis
- minimize inducements to use cannabis
- allow legal production of cannabis to replace illicit market
- deter illicit cannabis production and sale
- reduce burden of dealing with cannabis offences imposed on criminal justice system
- enable cannabis users to have quality-controlled supply of cannabis
- increase public awareness of health risks of using cannabis
tight regulations of quebec on cannabis (6)
- minimum legal purchase age of 21 years
- only SQDC can sell cannabis
- reduced amount of cannabis that adult can legally possess
- banned growing of cannabis for personal use
- limits THC content of cannabis edibles and extracts (max of 5 mg/edible and 30% weight in extracts)
- banned additives to any cannabis product that would increase attractiveness or flavor or enhance psychoactive effects
what happened since legalization of cannabis (2)
- cannabis use increase in > 25 year olds
- slight decline in adolescents 15-17 years (goal of protecting youth has not been met)
fastest growing population of cannabis users
aging adults over 55
consequences of cannabis legalization (7)
- increased patterns of cannabis use (decreased perceived harmfulness -> perceive cannabis to be more beneficial than harmful + increased cannabis availability and accessibility)
- hasn’t created any health benefits -> linked to serious concerns instead
- outcomes related to health have increased (or remained steady)
- increase in cannabis intoxications in young children
- lack of education campaigns of public health messages on cannabis
- lack of health warning messages on cannabis products
- reduction in criminal arrests and charges related to cannabis use
what is cannabis (3)
- mixture of cut, dried and ground flowers, leaves, stems of hemp plant
- stimulant and depressant
- has hallucinogenic properties
what is responsible for the aroma of cannabis
terpenes
what is responsible for the pigment and flavor of cannabis
flavanoids
THC vs CBD
THC: psychoactive + addictive (acts on DA system)
CBD: non-psychoactive, but biologically active (doesn’t cause a high, not addictive)
3 strains + properties
- sativa -> higher ratio of THC to CBD, more stimulating, psychotropic effects
- indica -> higher ration of CBD to THC, typically more sedating
- ruderalis -> low THC strain
effect of mode of administration on pharmacokinetics (3)
different onset of effects, duration of action and distinct health effects
vaporized cannabis vs smoked cannabis
vaporized cannabis produces greater subjective drug effects (and higher THC blood concentrations) than am doses of smoked cannabis
endocannabinoid system (6)
- widespread neuromodulatory system
- role in CNS development
- regulates many physiological and cognitive processes
- works to maintain homeostasis: controls levels of other NTs, influences and is influenced by other signalling pathways
- active even without cannabis
- implicated in pathological conditions (scz)
role of endocannabinoid system (14)
- memory
- new neuron formation
- inflammatory responses
- fetal cell differentiation
- pain perception
- emotions
- appetite
- thermogenesis
- metabolism
- sleep
- motility
- response to stress
- addiction processes
- immunomodulation
endogenous cannabinoid system (3)
- endocannabinoids
- cannabinoid receptors
- endocannabinoid enzymes
forms of cannabinoids (3)
- phytocannabinoids: derived naturally from flora
- endocannabinoids: produced endogenously
- synthetic cannabinoids: created artificially
what are endocannabinoids and how do they work (3)
- lipid molecules synthesized on demand (not really NTs) -> anandamide and 2-AG
- retrograde messengers: released from postsynaptic cells and travel backwards across synapse
- bind to cannabinoid receptor on presynaptic cell
enzymes that metabolize endocannabinoids (2)
- fatty acid amino hydrolase (FAAH) -> degrades AEA
- monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) -> degrades 2-AG
cannabinoid receptors (4)
- CB1R mostly found in CNS
- CB2R mostly found in periphery and immune cells
- AEA is partial agonist of both
- 2-AG is full agonist of both
brain areas where CB1R are found (8)
- cerebellum* -> movement coordination
- brainstem
- hippocampus* -> learning and memory
- amygdala
- hypothalamus
- NAcc* -> reward and motivation
- basal ganglia* -> movement control
- neocortex
* = highly concentrated
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (8)
- main psychoactive component
- responsible for addictive properties -> dose-dependently increases DA in shell of NAcc
- partial agonist
- metabolized into THC-COOH (inactive) by cytochrome P450s
- deposits in adipose tissue (peak = 4-5 days later) and later re-released in blood
- long half-life (20-30h)
- metabolites remain detectable for ~28 days after last use
- rapidly absorbed through lungs -> peak blood concentration in 6-10 minutes, peak brain concentration in 15-30 minutes
why is cannabis addictive and how (3)
- THC dose-dependently increases DA in shell of NAcc and striatum
- increase in cannabis potency (%THC)
- THC increases DA neural firing by decreasing GABAergic inhibition of DA neural activity (disinhibition)
- THC allosterically modulates opioid receptors (additional indirect routes for altering DA transmission?)
system that underlies THC adversive effects
inhibition of VTA glutamatergic transmission -> decreases DA release
short-term/acute effects of THC (12)
- red eyes
- dry mouth
- skin sensation
- memory loss
- paranoia
- impaired motor coordination
- increased appetite
- pleasure/bliss
- delayed response
- altered perception
- muscle relaxation
- increased heart rate
short-term/acute effects of THC at very high doses (5)
- chest pain
- rapid heartbeat
- nausea/vomiting
- psychotic episode - hallucinations/delusions
- respiratory depression
long-term/chronic effects of THC (4)
- physical health risk (respiratory and cardiovascular problems)
- psychiatric symptoms and disorders (addiction)
- psychosocial problems (academics)
- cognitive dysfunction