Cannabis

Cannabis As of the end of March 2017 29 states and the District of Columbia (DC) have medicinal marijuana laws 8 states and DC have legalized recreational marijuana Many have also decriminalized possession

New IL law lists per se limits: 5 ng/mL in whole blood 10 ng/mL in any other body fluid

Short Term Effects Relaxed euphoric state Impaired judgment, coordination, reflexes Distorted sense of time and space Agitation and paranoia (pot panic) Hunger and thirst (the "munchies") Red eyes

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (Δ9) Psychoactive component - Hallucinogen About 15-18% in plant material (can be as high as 30%) About 5-12% in hashish About 15-30% in hash oil

Other Cannabinoids Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid Tetrahydrocannabidivarin Cannabidiol Cannabidiolic acid Cannabidivarin Cannabidivarinolic acid Cannabinol Cannabigerol Cannabigerolic acid Cannabichromene Currently there are 111 known Cannabinoids

Metabolic pathway: THC THCA Hydroxy-THC Carboxy-THC

Key Points for carboxy-THC: Currently the main compound detected by forensic labs and hospitals Is biologically inactive (has no effects on the human body) Is fat soluble Remains in the system for weeks or months after smoking

Detection of carboxy-THC: Recreational users (acute use) – smoke occasionally but not regularly and smaller amounts. - Carboxy-THC will clear within 48-72 hours Chronic heavy users – smoke every day (or almost) and larger amounts. - Once the user quits the carboxy-THC can be detected in urine for as little as a couple weeks or as much as 8 weeks.

Cannabinoid Facts Cannabinoids are fat soluble Blood THC concentrations rapidly decrease after smoking THC impairment lasts ~5-6 hours after smoking even with large decreases of serum concentration* Serum THC levels did not accurately predict impairment level* *Ramaekers et al 2006 Drug and Alcohol Dependence

Collecting a sample Due to rapid clearance sample collection must be ASAP Storage is crucial – cannabinoids absorb into glass and plastic Refrigerate/freeze samples to maintain stability Analyze ASAP Look for indications of recent usage (DREs can be helpful here)

Medicinal Cannabis New strains of cannabis can have much higher THC levels or extremely low (high CBD) Extracts and edible products may not leave behind characteristic smell Extracts with exceptionally high dosages of THC can lead to hallucinatory behavior

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