Cannabinoids drug withdrawal

Urigiien, L., Perez-Rial, S., Ledent, C., Palomo, T., and Manzanares, J. (2004). Impaired action of anxiolytic drugs in mice deficient in cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Neuropharmacology 46, 966-973. Vandrey, R. G., Budney, A. J., Moore, B. A., and Hughes, J. R. (2005). A cross-study comparison of cannabis and tobacco withdrawal. Am.J. Addict. 14, 54-63. 

Pertwee RG. Tolerance to and dependence on psychotropic cannabinoids. In Pratt J, editor. The Biological Basis of Drug Tolerance. London Academic Press, 1991 232-65. Aceto MD, Scates SM, Lowe JA, Martin BR. Dependence on delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol studies on precipitated and abrupt withdrawal. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1996 278(3) 1290-5. 

Behavioural and neurochemical studies have now clarified the controversy about the abuse liability of cannabinoids by demonstrating that such drugs fulfil most of the common features attributed to compounds with reinforcing properties. Cannabinoid rewarding properties have been identified using intracranial selfstimulation, conditioned place preference and intravenous self-administration paradigms. Furthermore, a cannabinoid withdrawal syndrome has also been characterized in different animal species (Lichtman and Martin 2002 Maldonado and Rodriguez de Fonseca 2002). 

The lOM report describes the effect of THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana cannabinoids, which are the compounds related to THC and marijuana, the unpurified plant substances. The lOM report studied the effects of isolated cannabioids and concluded that they have a natural role in pain modulation, control of movement, and memory. The role on cannabioids in the immune system was unclear and the report concluded that the brain develops tolerance to cannabioids. While animal research demonstrated dependence on cannabioids, the potential for dependence was seen as occurring under a more narrow range of conditions than for drugs such as minor tranquilizers, opiates, cocaine, or nicotine. Withdrawal symptoms were observed in animal studies but were mild compared to drugs such as minor tranquiflzers or opiates. 

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