Marijuana Flashcards
What are the street names for cannabinoids?
- marijuana, hashish, “pot”, weed, grass
What is hemp?
- does not refer to drug
- refers to plant fibers used for material items
Where does marijuana come from? Where does hashish come from?
- leafy greens
- plant resin
What are phytocannabinoids?
- delta9-tetrahydrocannabinoid (delta9-THC)
- generic name: dronabinol (medical marijuana)
What is active in delta9-THC?
- drug
- metabolites: cannabinol and cannabidiol
What is the problem with the activity of multiple substances?
- analogues exert unique effects (11-hydroxy-delta9-THC formed in liver)
- metabolites exert unique effects (potentiate or interact with THC compounds)
What complicates potency and distribution of phytocannabinoids?
- highly lipid-soluble, however protein bound
Why were synthetic alternatives to cannabinoids made?
- emerged from scientific research meant to study the effects on receptors
What are the synthetic alternatives of cannabinoids?
- Non-classical (synthesized analgesics), hybrids (blend of extracts and synthesized)
- aminoalkyllindoles (anti-inflammatory and antihyperalgesia)
- eicosanoid (synthesized endo; immune response, pain perception)
What properties do synthetic cannabinoids exhibit?
- stimulant and hallucinogenic
- full agonist
What is the problem with synthetic cannabinoids?
- contamination with other chemicals
What is the potency of cannabinoids? What is the problem with determining potency?
- hashish “more potent” than marijuana
- effects are dose-dependent
- modern strains are more variable and have higher concentrations
- skews interpretation and comparability of research
What are the dose dependent effects of cannabinoids?
- buzz: light headed, tingling
- high: euphoric, exhilarated
- stoned: calm and relaxed
How are cannabinoids administered?
- inhalation (1 min - 2/4 hr)
- ingestion (1 hr-4/6 hr)
What effects the intake of inhalation?
- only 50% released in smoke
- time in lungs
- usually 20% absorbed
What is a contact high?
- second-hand inhalation can result in psychoactive levels
- little evidence!
What effects the intake of ingestion?
- first-pass metabolism deactivates 50%
- metabolites psychoactive but to lesser extent
Which method of intake requires more drug?
- ingestion requires 3x more than inhalation
What is the problem with the method of ingestion?
- lack of immediate effects makes users eat more