Titre : | The standard joint unit (2017) |
Auteurs : | C. CASAJUANA KOGEL ; M. M. BALCELLS-OLIVERO ; H. LOPEZ-PELAYO ; L. MIQUEL ; L. TEIXIDO ; J. COLOM ; D. J. NUTT ; J. REHM ; A. GUAL |
Type de document : | Article : Périodique |
Dans : | Drug and Alcohol Dependence (Vol.176, July 2017) |
Article en page(s) : | 109-116 |
Langues: | Anglais |
Discipline : | PRO (Produits, mode d'action, méthode de dépistage / Substances, action mode, screening methods) |
Mots-clés : |
Thésaurus Géographique ESPAGNEThésaurus TOXIBASE CANNABIS ; TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL ; MESURES QUANTITATIVES ; ENQUETE ; ANALYSE CHIMIQUE ; PRIX |
Résumé : |
Objective: Reliable data on cannabis quantities is required to improve assessment of cannabis consumption for epidemiological analysis and clinical assessment, consequently a Standard Joint Unit (SJU) based on quantity of 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (9-THC) has been established.
Methodology: Naturalistic study of a convenience sample recruited from February 2015-June 2016 in universities, leisure spaces, mental health services and cannabis clubs in Barcelona. Adults, reporting cannabis use in the last 60 days, without cognitive impairment or language barriers, answered a questionnaire on cannabis use and were asked to donate a joint to further determine their 9-THC and Cannabidiol (CBD) content. Results: 492 participants donated 315 valid joints. Donators were on average 29 years old, mostly men (77%), single (75%), with at least secondary studies (73%) and in active employment (63%). Marijuana joints (N = 232) contained a median of 6.56 mg of 9-THC (Interquartile range - IQR = 10,22) and 0.02 mg of CBD (IQR = 0.02); hashish joints (N = 83) a median of 7.94 mg of 9-THC (IQR = 10,61) and 3.24 mg of CBD (IQR = 3.21). Participants rolled 4 joints per gram of cannabis and paid 5€ per gram (median values). Conclusion: Consistent 9-THC-content in joints lead to a SJU of 7 mg of 9-THC, the integer number closest to the median values shared by both cannabis types. Independently if marijuana or hashish, 1 SJU = 1 joint = 0.25 g of cannabis = 7 mg of 9-THC. For CBD, only hashish SJU contained relevant levels. Similarly to the Standard Drink Unit for alcohol, the SJU is useful for clinical, epidemiological and research purposes. Highlights: Standard units exist for alcohol but not for cannabis. A Standard Joint Unit (SJU) accounts for Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (9-THC) content. It converts information typically given by cannabis users into 9-THC quantities. 1 SJU = 1 joint of marihuana or hashish = 0.25 g of cannabis = 7 mg of 9-THC. The SJU is useful for in clinical, epidemiological, and research purposes. |
Domaine : | Drogues illicites / Illicit drugs |
Affiliation : | Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain |
