Cannabis

Question 1

What are cannabinoids?

Answer 1

• Psychoactive effects due to presence of chemicals
  termed cannabinoids

Question 2

Describe cannabis regulation

Answer 2

1937 Marijuana Tax Act
* Anslinger testified ‘Those who use it
develop a delirious rage after its
administration, during which they are
temporarily… irresponsible and liable to
commit violent crimes…

Question 3

Describe psychoactive effects

Answer 3

THC is the principal psychoactive component
and is responsible for euphoric and antiemetic
effects.

Cannabidiol is 2nd major cannabinoid and is
responsible for relaxation and anxiolytic effects
of cannabis.

Question 4

Describe preparations

Answer 4

Cannabinoids are enriched in specialized
structures on the flowering bodies known as
trichomes

• Hashish (hash, hash oil) is produced from
  trichomes (kief)
• Increased cannabinoid content Hash is a solid
  pressed cake of trichomes (50 - 90% THC)
• Hash oil is an alcohol extract of trichomes
  reduced to a viscous liquid

Question 5

describe cannabis distribution

Answer 5

• Cannabinoids effects are attenuated
  primarily due to absorption into fat
  tissues
• Psychoactive effects last ~3 h

Question 6

Describe metabolism and secretion

Answer 6

• THC is metabolized in the liver by
  cytochrome P450 enzymes
• Primary metabolite is 11-hydroxy THC (11-
  OH-THC, psychoactive)
• Secondary inactive metabolite is 11-nor-9-
  carboxy THC (THC-COOH)

Due to slow release from lipid stores
THC metabolites can be detected for
weeks after a single dose

Question 7

Describe cognitive effects

Answer 7

• Deficits seen in tasks requiring sustained attention
• No decrease in simple reaction time measures BUT impairs ability to drive
• Interaction with alcohol – low dose cannabis use exacerbates the impairment due to alcohol
• Impairments may relate to attention deficits – impaired ability to attend to peripheral stimuli
• High doses – more uniform motor depression – catalepsy (lack of voluntary movement)
  *

Question 8

Describe therapeutic uses

Answer 8

• Decreases ocular pressure – useful adjunctive therapy for treatment of glaucoma
• Antiemetic– promoted as treatment for chemotherapy associated nausea
• Orexigenic– treatment for disease associated anorexia (cancer, HIV/AIDS)
• Anxiolytic– therapeutic potential for psychiatric illness
• Anticonvulsant and antipsychotic– esp. strains high in CBD
• Anti-spastic– treatment for spinal injury / disease (MS, TBI, SCI)
• Analgesic– modulation of pain response
• Anti-oxidant and neuroprotective– various cannabinoids are antioxidant and neuroprotective
  against glutamatergic toxicity