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Characterization of the absorption phase of marijuana smoking.

Marilyn A. Huestis, A H Sampson, B J Holicky, J E Henningfield, E J Cone

Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics July 1992 DOI: 10.1038/clpt.1992.100 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Double-blind, randomized, Latin square study Peer reviewed
Sample size 6
Population Six healthy males
Interventions Marijuana cigarette (placebo 1.75% or 3.55% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol)
Dose placebo, 1.75%, or 3.55% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Measures plasma delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol levels, drug liking scores, heart rate, diastolic blood pressure
Topics Cannabis
Key points Plasma delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol rose rapidly during marijuana smoking, peaking at 9 minutes before the last puff, and behavioral and physiologic effects (increased drug liking, heart rate, and diastolic blood pressure) appeared concurrently with or within minutes of peak blood levels, contrasting with prior indications of a substantial delay between peak plasma THC and drug effects.

Abstract

Rapid blood collection, a paced smoking protocol and timely collection of physiologic and behavioral measures were used to characterize the absorption phase of marijuana smoking. Six healthy males smoked a single marijuana cigarette (placebo, 1.75%, or 3.55% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) in a double-blind, randomized, Latin square study design. Rapid blood sampling with a continuous withdrawal pump allowed simultaneous collection with concurrent physiologic and behavioral measures. Mean plasma levels of 7.0 and 18.1 ng/ml delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol were observed after the first inhalation of a 1.75% and 3.55% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol cigarette, respectively. Blood levels increased rapidly and peaked at 9 minutes, before initiation of the last puff sequence at 9.8 minutes. Three of six subjects reported increases in drug "liking" scores after the first puff, and all subjects responded by the second puff of a high dose cigarette. Significant increases in heart rate and diastolic blood pressure occurred shortly after peak blood levels. Previous studies have indicated that there is a substantial time delay between peak plasma levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and drug-induced effects. This study showed that behavioral and physiologic effects appear concurrently or within minutes after the rapid appearance of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in blood during marijuana smoking.

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Study Year Design Participants
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Acute Effects of a Single, Oral dose of d9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) Administration in Healthy Volunteers Healthy male subjects 2012 Randomized controlled trial n = 16
Modulation of Mediotemporal and Ventrostriatal Function in Humans by Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Healthy, native English-speaking, right-handed men of white race/ethnicity who had used... 2009 Randomized controlled trial n = 15
Cannabidiol (CBD) content in vaporized cannabis does not prevent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced impairment of driving and cognition Healthy volunteers with a history of light cannabis use 2019 Randomized, double-blind, within-subjects crossover n = 14

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