The Standard Joint Unit

Autor: María Mercedes Balcells-Oliveró, Cristina Casajuana Kögel, Joan Colom, Hugo López-Pelayo, Jürgen Rehm, Laia Miquel, Antoni Gual, David J. Nutt, Lídia Teixidó
Rok vydání: 2017
Předmět:
Zdroj: Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 176:109-116
ISSN: 0376-8716
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.03.010
Popis: 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.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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