cannabisnews.com: Monkeys Seek Repeated Doses of Marijuana Monkeys Seek Repeated Doses of Marijuana Posted by FoM on October 15, 2000 at 15:39:56 PT By Malcolm Ritter, AP Science Writer Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch Monkeys repeatedly dosed themselves with the main active ingredient of marijuana in a new federal study. The researchers say that result emphasizes the idea that people can get hooked on pot and provides a new way to test therapies.Lab animals will actively dose themselves with most drugs abused by people, but marijuana has been an exception, said researcher Steven Goldberg of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, called NIDA. Some people might interpret that as suggesting it has little potential for addiction, he said. But the new work found that squirrel monkeys repeatedly pushed a lever to get injections of the marijuana ingredient THC, Goldberg and colleagues report in the November issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience.The animals pushed the lever about as much as other monkeys did to get cocaine, but Goldberg said that does not necessaarily mean marijuana is as addictive as cocaine in people.NIDA says marijuana causes compulsive and often uncontrollable craving and use, despite health and social consequences, and so is addictive.Not everybody agrees.``This drug is not addicting. Clinical experience says that,'' said Dr. Lester Grinspoon, a Harvard Medical School emeritus professor of psychiatry.The monkey study doesn't prove otherwise, said Grinspoon, who is chairman of the board of the NORML Foundation, which promotes medical use of marijuana and ultimately its legalization.In Goldberg's experiment, four squirrel monkeys sat through hour-long test sessions once a day with a tube attached to a vein. When a green light turned on, they could push a lever 10 times to get a THC injection.They gave themselves up to 30 injections per session, versus one to four when the tube delivered only water.In proportion to their body size, the monkeys got about the same dose of THC per injection that a person does with each puff from a marijuana cigarette. The monkeys didn't show any sign of being sedated, Goldberg said.Complete Title: Monkeys Seek Repeated Doses of Marijuana Ingredient in ExperimentOn the Net:http://www.nida.nih.gov/New York (AP)Posted: October 15, 2000©2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Related Articles & Web Sites:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Marijuana The Forbidden Medicinehttp://www.rxmarihuana.com/The Drug War's Tweedledeehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7301.shtmlCannabis Use Falls Among Dutch Youth http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7251.shtmlPrograms Introduced To Reduce Teen MJ Addictionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7069.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by SunDanceCDN on July 26, 2002 at 12:57:21 PT: HILARIOUS! I find this study to be absolutley hilarious....Why do they have to rag on us any way??? Pot doesnt hurt anyone! I am a recreational smoker and I can say that pot is not addictive....at least no more than cigs or booze. Besides people abuse cigs and booze far more frequently than pot...gimme a break! If pot is illegal, so should be smoking and drinking...but they are not cause the government has got their fingers in those industries!!!corruption everywhere you look!!!What a joke!!! STONED LAB MONKEYS [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by DonutBoy on April 14, 2001 at 21:46:08 PT: POT and Sugar levels. OK I'll admit it. I'm a pot-head, chronic, and I'll tell you why. I am a type II diabetic suffering from Insulin Desensitivity. I need to be really active to burn sugars. this leads me to have a high protien, low carbohydrate diet. Well one day I was offered a joint and I knew i was diabetic, i guessed that I would have to ignore the munchies and have fun. Well, after half a joint I was blasted and VERY hungry. But I kept myself occupied and fought the overwhelming urge for sugar or chips, of any carb food. One hour later my sugars fell through the floor, I became irritable, paranoid, and jittery. I thought I was having a bad trip until i tested my sugars.... WHOA! I then got to the nearest store and bought a box of jelly beans, I ate the entire box in one night and was FINE!!! My sugars were a little high, but managable (8.2p/pmm) I found my godsend! I could eat sugar again!!! I thought this might be my cure! It was great.This is why I am chronic, however, a small word of caution to those contemplating using weed like I do. Pot is a drug, and in my case I have found it addictive (I have yet to find any serious documentaion dealing with diabetics and pot use). This on it's own is not bad (in my opinion) but a word or wisdom (if I may): When you become addicted or "resistant" to a substance you require more to get your "fix". I recently did this and switched from cannabis to Hashish.... BE VERY CAREFUL WITH HASH IF YOU ARE DIABETIC. In my experince my sugars drop 10ppm in 30mins with a certain type. I had to eat cookies regualrily for 6 hours just to keep me levelheaded... VERY FREAKY!If anyone would like to discuss this please feel free to e-mail me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on October 16, 2000 at 07:48:32 PT: WIN?/LOSE? WIN 55,212-2 is a synthetic CB1 agonist, meaning that it acts somewhat like THC on cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system, but is much more powerful. It is a research tool. Results from its use compared and extrapolated to actual cannabis should be done with extreme caution. Animal results also may or may not translate to useful data in humans. Example: dogs stoned on cannabis are routinely ataxic (wobbly), whereas humans usually are not unless extremely affected. In fact, cannabis relieves ataxic symptoms in some humans with MS. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by m segesta on October 16, 2000 at 07:38:08 PT: WIN 55,212-2 WHat is WIN 55,212-2? Is that the name of the particular preparation given these animals? How does it compare to the compounds found in actual pot? And since when does the behavior of previously trained to administer cocaine monkeys in a sterline lab setting have anything to do with what people will do in actual settings? [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by i_rule_ on October 15, 2000 at 22:27:44 PT lol All this proves to me is that marijuana is enjoyed by small animals, too. They may have used some really bad weed to make their solutions, and the rats had to keep hitting the lever to get a buzz. A lot like us. I have smoked a couple of joints or so, of bad stuff, just to get a buzz. lol. I hope they legalize pot for medicinal purposes, but to be quite honest with ya, I hope even more they will legalize it so we can enjoy the recreational use of it. I love pot. I suffer from manic depression, and refuse the chemical compounds and mad doctors that push them. Nothing works to pick me up like a nice fat spliff in the evening, or anytime, really. It is as simple as that. We like it. It makes us feel good. So crucify us, oh mighty government. For happiness and euphoria are not in your plans for us. Lock us away and prevent our quest for happiness. And while you are at it, drop dead. For you will never stop the natural urge to feel better.Sorry. I know I was rambling. I just hate to hear news that tries to defeat such a wonderful plant. Especially a project as rediculous as this one by NIDA. Paaahhhhlllleeeeaaassseeee!!!!Peace. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Rainbow on October 15, 2000 at 21:41:49 PT Folks You can get them to do almost anything In grad school I used the same skinnerian behavior to get a rat to hang himself. Well I actually let the rope loose but the effect was the same.For a prize (bit of food) at the end my rat would jump run lift a barbell (stick with two marshmellows) run up a set of small stairs and put his head in a noose. Then he would jump off. I had him do this to a concert of Mozart and won the grad student rat demonstratration. I got an A the rat got some great food and back to the cage.Come on NIDA you guys are just plain stupid. My rats would click and click and click for food. I am surprised they did not try electrical stimulation and watch for the extinction effect.I wonder if the monkeys were able to tell that the water was hydrating them too much which can lead to headaches and painful experiences and frequent bathroom breaks which were probably not allowed. Hum I wouldn't want water pumped into my veins either.Well so much for the NIDA to show us the way.Of course it is really crucial that they give us more garbage because the wall is tumbling.I bet the squirels would do the same for alcohol at least to a point of killing themselves.Rainbow. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by dankhank on October 15, 2000 at 19:37:41 PT: Comments and a Question for the learned Doc ... You know that if you starve a squirrel it will SELF-ADMINISTER a whole lotta food ...Hey, about the squirrel-monkeys ... How long and how wide did the researchers have to look to find a breed of monkey that likes to get a buzz???In the past, Self-Administration in lieu of food is where researchers have drawn the line marked "addicted." No mention of that here, cause we know the reason ... MUNCHIESAs an aside Doc Russo, if you please ...I had some kind-bud one time and was at a friends house when an acquaintance of his who is diabetic stopped by. My friend and I were toking and offered the recent arrival some. He was a "crankster," I call 'em, mostly prefering Meth, but took several hits.He left shortly after and practically scorched the local day-old bakery for a typical plastic Wal-Mart-sized shopping bag half-full of ho-ho's, twinkies, little debbies ... and like stuff, coming back to seriously chow on the sweet stuff.It was funny as hell at the time, but we really worried that we had knocked his sugar level akilter, and so he smoked no more ... Still did the Meth, though, hope he's doing OK ...Peace HEMP n STUFF [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Neil on October 15, 2000 at 19:35:07 PT Is Sugar Addictive? I wonder what the results would be with sugar. How many times would the monkey press the bar for a niblet of sugar? I'm sure the American Dental Association can recommend someone to be appointed Sugar Czar of the newly formed Sugar Enforcement Agency. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on October 15, 2000 at 17:54:10 PT: More Mumbo-Jumbo All this proves is that animals withdrawing from cocaine addiction feel better when they have THC, nothing more. The benefit of cannabis in treatment of addiction to other substances is well known. NIDA and the like have been trying to prove that cannabis is truly addictive for 60 years and they still can't do it!BTW, Kap, cannabis does not lower blood sugar, but munchies are produced by cannabinoid receptor effects on the hypothalamus. Or, if you prefer, cannabis massages the munchies center of the brain. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by observer on October 15, 2000 at 17:32:11 PT Me and my Monkey a)Why can't they get monkeys to self-administer cannabis smoke? b) Have you ever heard of anyone injecting reefer? Mainlining THC? c) What was mixed with the THC to enable it to be injected? (THC is not water soluble ... did they mix it with ethanol or another non-polar solvent? How much alcohol per injection?)d) Has NIDA redefined addiction? Have they "lowered the bar" so that cannabis would seem "addictive"? There are no withdrawl symkptoms for cessation of cannabis use, as for alcohol, depressants, heroin, and many tranquilizers.e) You don't suppose this "news" is "breaking" three weeks prior to various cannabis referendums by accident, do you?==========Links, Notes ...http://www.google.com/search?q=cannabinoid+self-administration---1998http://www.druglibrary.org/crl/behavior/martellotta-01.html(University of Cagliari in Italy,)``Thus, self-administration of WIN 55,212-2 significantly increased, with respect to the vehicle self-administration control group, at concentrations of 0.5 and 0.1 mg/kg per injection. However, at WIN 55,212-2 concentration of 0.5 mg/kg per injection, self-administration significantly decreased. . . .WIN 55,212-2 is able to elicit both rewarding and aversive effects depending on the concentration used.''106 Martoletta MC, Cossu G, Fattore L, Gessa GL, Fratta W. 1998. Self-administration of the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 in drug-naive mice. Neuroscience 85:327330.[conclusion: rats like to get high ... but not too stoned. -obs.]----1994 MJ less addictive than coffee(NIDA)http://www.marijuananews.com/relative_addictiveness_of_drugs_.htm1997 THC "like Heroin" ...(University of Cagliari in Italy, et al.)http://www.ndsn.org/JULY97/BRAIN.html``infused THC into rats and found that the levels of dopamine in their nucleus accumbens doubled''[i.e. rats enjoy some THC, too. -obs.]-----------1997Cannabis, self-administration papers (various)http://www.scripps.edu/research/scirpt/sr97/NP97.html---------novelty-seeking rats also like speed...http://www.nida.nih.gov/DirReports/DirRep999/DirectorReport2.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on October 15, 2000 at 17:30:16 PT It really is something I never heard of anyone shooting up marijuana. The only place I ever saw anything like that was in The Emperor of Hemp http://www.emperorofhemp.com/ and The History Channel Series. How can they even try to compare smoking with an IV dose? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Tim Stone on October 15, 2000 at 17:23:53 PT Monkeyshines Hmm, let's see: Monkey's, when put in an unnatural, alien and very frightening lab situation, prefer the stress relief of a mild sedative like THC to a water placebo.Inotherwords, this "experiment" says nothing about THC and everything about what stressed-out monkeys will naturally do to reduce stress. More NIDA buncombe. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on October 15, 2000 at 16:56:29 PT: So this is the great anti counter-attack? This is what they were holding off on releasing, so that they could get as much hype out of it as they could?Well, judging from the ambivalent results of this study, they obviously needed it.Methodology question: how were the monkeys fed? Were they fed while hooked up to the injection equipment? Is it remotely possible that the monkeys may have associated the cannabis dispensing with food? We all know what cannabis does to glucose levels; you get the munchies from those levels being artificially lowered.This kind of study reminds me of the infamous one where it was proclaimed that cannabis was toxic because it had killed monkeys. But the methodology revealed that the monkeys had been literally suffocated by being forced to breathe scores of times more smoke than any human would in a lifetime, and thus they were killed via asphyxiation. The active ingredients which were supposedly being tested were not to blame, but the testing process, itself, proved fatal.This is the same kind of study, from the same kind of people, who loudly proclaimed that all cannabis smoking men were in danger of growing women's breasts.And yet the antis will proudly trot out this latest bit of pseudoscience and say it vindicates them.They lose more ground every day; you'd think they'd be smarter than this. But then again, they're antis. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on October 15, 2000 at 16:09:21 PT Monkeys These monkeys should test the effects of alcohol, I'm sure they'll find the same results. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: