Smoking marijuana, indicator

Women who smoke marijuana during pregnancy may have low birth-weight babies who are at risk for developmental difficulties and are more susceptible to disease. Like other drugs, THC also crosses the placental barrier and affects the embryo as it grows some studies indicate that this may increase a baby s risk of developing leukemia. THC also passes into breast milk, where research has shown that it can affect a child s motor development. Toddlers whose parents smoke marijuana have been found to be angrier and to have more behavioral problems than children whose parents do not use marijuana. 

Studies indicate that both the acute and chronic effects from smoking marijuana often mirror the short-term and long-term effects associated with smoking tobacco. Smoke is made up of both solid and gas particles. The inhalation of hot gases combined with volatile tars (and other particulates) can be very harmful to the lungs, throat, and bronchial tubes. Short-term health effects from smoking marijuana can... 

It appears the majority of effects associated with marijuana use are more acute than chronic and that longer-term effects tend to be reversible with the termination of drug use. Significant exceptions may occur, however. Smoking marijuana may be found to be linked to various respiratory disorders, including cancer. Most of the negative effects found arc correlated with higher doses and frequency of use than those described by most cannabis smokers in this country. Nevertheless, these indications arc tentative and await confirmation from more systematic and controlled research. 

There is accumulating physiological evidence for the existence of otlier distinct functional cannabinoid receptors different from the currently known CBj and CBj CBRs that are putatively referred to as CBj, CB4, CBj, CBg, CB, CBg, CBg, CBjq, CBu, CBjj, CBjj. .. CB. Whereas the molecular identities of other unknown cannabinoid receptors have been elusive, recent characterization of the human CBjR gene indicates many structural feamres and splice variants that may be involved in the actions of smoked marijuana. The emerging fimctional evidences for the existence of putative CB3, CB4, CBj, CBg, CB, CBg, CBg, CBjq, CBjj, CBjj, CBjj. .. CB cannabinoid receptors are randomly classified below until their molecular identity is known ... 

There are some limited circumstances in which we recommend smoking marijuana for medical uses.. . . The accumulated data indicate a potential therapeutic value for cannabinoid drugs, particularly for symptoms such as pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation.. . . For patients such as those with AIDS or who are undergoing chemotherapy and who suffer simultaneously from severe pain, nausea, and appetite loss, cannabinoid drugs might offer broad-spectrum relief not found in any other single medication. ... 

Taken together, these results, summarized in Table 12-7, indicate that THC, to the extent that it is associated with increased crash risk, is probably not the cause of the crashes, but a correlate of other risk-taking factors that go hand in hand with smoking marijuana. Although it is... 

Figure 2. Average plasma level of I found in 11 human male subjects following smoking of a marijuana cigarette containing 10.8 mg of I. Vertical bars below each data point indicate the standard deviation for the set at each time interval.

A survey of oncologists on the use of marijuana (on smoking) as an antiemetic drug has indicated that about 50% are willing to recommend it to their patients, and considered it somewhat more effective than dronabinol (oral administration) [122], It is therefore surprising that A9-THC has not been administered so far by inhalation. 

The human data, as well as the animal studies indicate that cannabinoids may ameliorate some symptoms of MS. Unfortunately, a definitive large-scale study has yet to be performed. Such a study should take into account that (a) the placebo effect in MS is very high (b) the effective doses recorded are close to, or identical with the doses that cause cannabimimetic effects (c) cannabis (marijuana, hashish) is obviously not identical to zf9-THC, and that other constituents may synergize THC action (d) smoking cannot be compared with oral administration, and (e) the anal route of administration [141] may be a preferred one. 

Other definitive metabolites which are used in our laboratory as indicators of drug use are cocaethylene, norcocaine, A9-carboxy-tetrahydrocaimabinol (carboxy-THC) (a substance which is not found in smoke from a marijuana cigarette), and the heroin metabolites 6-MAM and morphine glucuronide. Drugs and metabolites are measured by ultrasensitive GC/MS/MS or chemical ionization ion-trap GC/MS techniques requiring 5 mg or less of sample. ... 

The second most common cardiovascular effect is an increase in heart rate and pulse rate (Kelly, Foltin, Fischman, 1993). Both of these effects last for about an hour, and each appears to be dose related. The peak heart rate occurs around 20 minutes after smoking. In addition to these effects, blood pressure tends to become slightly elevated. No evidence indicates that these effects create any permanent damage within the normal cardiovascular system (Institute of Medicine, 1982 Workshop on the Medical Utility of Marijuana, 1997). 

Bon in Griffin, 2003) note. some positive indications for several substances, including alcohol, marijuana, and especially cigarette smoking. 

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