ABSTRACT: Marijuana (cannabis) remains a controversial drug in the twenty-first century. This paper considers current research on use of Cannabis sativa and its constituents such as the cannabinoids. Topics reviewed include prevalence of cannabis (pot) use, other drugs consumed with pot, the endocannabinoid system, use of medicinal marijuana, medical adverse effects of ... Continue Reading
Cannabis dependence
STUDY: Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System: Vulnerability Factor and New Treatment Target for Stimulant Addiction
ABSTRACT: Cannabis is one of the most widely used illicit substance among users of stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines. Interestingly, increasing recent evidence points toward the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECBS) in the neurobiological processes related to stimulant addiction. This article presents an up-to-date review with deep insights into the ... Continue Reading
STUDY: Effects of marihuana in laboratory animals and in man
ABSTRACT: 1 The pharmacological potencies of the resins from three different samples of Brazilian marihuana (A, B and C) were determined through corneal areflexia in rabbits, decrease of spontaneous motor activity and induction of catatonia in mice, and decrease of rope climbing performance of rats. 2 The Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 THC) content of the marihuanas, measured by ... Continue Reading
STUDY: Oral fluid cannabinoids in chronic cannabis smokers during oral Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol therapy and smoked cannabis challenge
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND Oral Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is effective for attenuating cannabis withdrawal and may benefit treatment of cannabis use disorders. Oral fluid (OF) cannabinoid testing, increasing in forensic and workplace settings, could be valuable for monitoring during cannabis treatment. METHODS Eleven cannabis smokers resided on a closed research unit ... Continue Reading
STUDY: Validation of an Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection and Semiquantification of Cannabinoids in Oral Fluid
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND Oral fluid (OF) is gaining prominence as an alternative matrix for monitoring drugs of abuse in the workplace, criminal justice, and driving under the influence of drugs programs. It is important to characterize assay performance and limitations of screening techniques for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in OF. METHODS We collected OF specimens by ... Continue Reading