Blockade of Effects of Smoked Marijuana by the CB1-Selective Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonist SR141716

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Abstract
WIDESPREAD medical, recreational, and religious uses of Cannabis sativa preparations (eg, marijuana, hashish) have occurred throughout history.1,2 Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component of marijuana, produces behavioral, cardiovascular, analgesic, psychomotor, and cognitive effects that are mediated through the cannabinoid CB1 receptor, a G protein–linked receptor located primarily in the central and peripheral nervous systems.3-5 A second cannabinoid receptor subtype (CB2) seems to be concentrated in the peripheral immune system.6,7 The identification of specific cannabinoid receptors has led to the discovery of endogenous cannabinoid agonists, including the arachidonic acid derivatives anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol.8,9