cannabisnews.com: NIDA Researchers Find Animals Will Adminster MJ NIDA Researchers Find Animals Will Adminster MJ Posted by FoM on October 15, 2000 at 18:58:15 PT Press Release Source: PRNewswire Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have demonstrated that laboratory animals will self-administer marijuana's psychoactive component, THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), in doses equivalent to those used by humans who smoke the drug. Self-administration of drugs by animals, long considered a model of human drug-seeking behavior, is characteristic of virtually all addictive and abused drugs. "This study is simple and its findings are clear," says NIDA Director Dr. Alan I. Leshner. "Animals will work to get THC. This emphasizes further the similarity between marijuana and other abusable, addicting substances. Both animals and humans will work to acquire access to marijuana in the same way that both animals and humans change their behavior to get other drugs of abuse, like cocaine and heroin." Dr. Steven Goldberg and colleagues at NIDA's Intramural Research Program in Baltimore, Maryland, report in the current issue of Nature Neuroscience that squirrel monkeys will self-administer intravenous injections of THC. "This is the first study in which it has been possible to show that monkeys or other research animals will self-administer THC. There are many factors which may explain this behavior, including the fact that in our study we used doses of THC that are directly comparable to doses in marijuana smoke inhaled by humans," Dr. Goldberg says.Before the study began, the scientists first established self-administration behavior in squirrel monkeys that received repeated intravenous injections of cocaine after pressing a lever 10 times for each injection. At the start of the study, the researchers replaced cocaine with saline solution and the animals' self-administration stopped. When saline was replaced with THC in a solution that would rapidly pass from blood to the brain, the animals resumed self-administration, rapidly pressing the lever to obtain on average 30 injections of THC during each of a series of 1-hour sessions. Treatment with a compound that prevented THC from binding to cannabinoid receptors on brain cells almost completely eliminated self-administration of THC, but had no effect in another group of monkeys self-administering cocaine under identical conditions, according to Dr. Goldberg."The drug-seeking behavior in these animals was comparable in intensity to that maintained by cocaine under identical conditions, and was obtained from a range of doses comparable to those self-administered by humans smoking a single marijuana cigarette," Dr. Goldberg says. "This finding suggests that marijuana has as much potential for abuse as other drugs of abuse, such as cocaine and heroin." The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports more than 85 percent of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination of research information and its implementation in policy and practice. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs of abuse and other topics can be ordered free of charge in English and Spanish from NIDA Infofax at 1-888-NIH-NIDA (644-6432) or 1-888-TTY-NIDA (889-6432) for the deaf. These fact sheets and further information on NIDA research and other activities can be found on the NIDA home page at:http://www.drugabuse.gov Complete Title: NIDA Researchers Find That Animals Exposed to Marijuana's Active Component Will Self-Administer the Drug Source: National Institute on Drug AbuseWeb Site: http://www.drugabuse.govRelease Date: October 15, 2000©1996-1999 PR NewswireRelated Article:Monkeys Seek Repeated Doses of Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7352.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #20 posted by kaptinemo on October 17, 2000 at 04:58:41 PT: In a nutshell Let's see if I can condense this to fit my woefully tiny understanding of biology:They addicted monkeys to cocaine via a Skinner box. When they stopped introducing cocaine into the injection apparatus and substituted saline solution instead, the withdrawal-suffeering monkeys realized there was no point in pressing the lever. But when they loaded a THC solution, the poor monkeys who were suffering the screamingly raw edginess induced by cocaine addiction withdrawal, sought to ameliorate those effects by repeatedly pushing a lever to induce a relatively weak THC solution (hardly enough to take that raw edge off) to enter their nerve-ravaged bodies. But the solution was so weak as to require massive amounts of lever-pressing to equal what one human dosage would been. But they only mention the bit about the cocaine addiction and sudden withdrawal in an off-handed fashion. That is, when they are forced to admit it.I can't wait to read the peer reviews of replicated studies. This is, of course, if NIDA will allow them to take place; when you have such an incentive as NIDA has to fudge research, they simply can't afford to be shown up for the frauds they are. [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by nl5x on October 16, 2000 at 17:27:30 PT nida vs nida nida says marijuana is less adictive than caffeine,alcohol, nicotine, heroin, cocaine, etc. (see below links) Experts Rate Problem Substances Dr. Jack E. Henningfield of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Dr. Neal L. Benowitz of the University of California at San Francisco ranked six substances based on five problem areas. http://www.marijuananews.com/marijuananews/cowan/relative_addictiveness_of_drugs_.htm http://www.drugwarfacts.org/addictiv.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by r.earing on October 16, 2000 at 10:57:56 PT: injectable THC? Injectable THC is "hippy supercrack".If that drug got out on the street,there'd be no stopping it.Now NIDA claims to have it! The very thing people have been looking for just drops out of the sky one day and all they can do is use it in a nother crooked monkey study? Very suspicious that we've never heard of this IV form of THC before. If it's available for injection won't doctors be able to prescribe it for people in pain?Just like injections of morphine? [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by m segesta on October 16, 2000 at 07:55:34 PT: Goldberg model? BCG --You spoil us by offering your encyclopedic knowledge. How can we lose with folks like you on board? Hell, we're mostly stoned and we're already winning the War? What is the Goldberg model? LOL [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by m segesta on October 16, 2000 at 07:52:08 PT: Not impressed I'm not impressed. So what if monkeys "work for" THC, or whatever compound they've put into the intravenous solutions? Will they neglect other things they usually work for, which is they real "acid test" of dependence and addiction? And, if this "addictive" property is inherent in THC, or whatever group of cannibinoids they used [we can't be sure as the articles don't say, though there is reference to "WIN 55,212-2 in one post -- whatever it is], why is the monkeys FIRST had to be trained with coke? If the stuff in the monkeys IV's is analagous to pot compoundS, why did they first need to train the monkeys to inject coke? Couldn't they get them to do the injection inducing behvaiour with only the THC, WIN 55,212-2, or whatever they used? [I'm very suspicious of every detail, because their past record on truth is SO BAD!] [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by bcg on October 16, 2000 at 05:44:48 PT: squirrel monkeys self-administer These researchers are collegues of mine, and I have been following their research for about a year. The reason they taught the animals how to self-administer cocaine first, is because cocaine is the most powerful reinforcer we know of. So we use cocaine to train them...BUT, like some astute posters have noted, this begs the question of why no animals will simply learn to self-administer MJ without training on "harder" substances (like cocaine or FOOD). This has been an ongoing question in the research community, and it seems to have something to do with cortical cannabiniod effects. A rat (or squirrel monkey - I call the ones I work with tree rats) isn't too keen on something that increases the cortical inhibition of its rodent limbic system...no time for that while it avoids owls and cats, and looks for food.The Goldberg model is good for some things, like testing THC effects on eating, or cocaine self-admin, but NIDA's spin is as usual, over exuberant about the human relavance to drug ADDICTION. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by Dave in Florida on October 16, 2000 at 05:08:11 PT locked in a cage I would want to catch a buzz too! Why don't they have 3 levers , one for food, one for cocaine and one for pot and see what happens.. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by wibble on October 16, 2000 at 02:45:28 PT: monkeys Am I the only who fails to notice that humans are not, in fact, monkeys?We do have a greater element of self-restriction from destructive behaviors...Furthermore, it's none of the state's business whether we get "addicted" to pot or not. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by EdC on October 16, 2000 at 02:28:43 PT: NIDA Researchers Find Animals Will Adminster MJ Lock up those squirrel monkeys, and throw away the key. Give the animals a break though, as they are not addicted to the tax dollars that fund these ridiculous attempts to perpetuate a war against a plant. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by dddd on October 15, 2000 at 23:38:10 PT gads I cant resist adding my 3 cents worth to all the well stated previous comments. I think Frank hits the nail on the head,saying it's about money. The NIDA is nothing more than a propaganda outlet for the ondcp,dea,and their numerous other cronies and henchmen. Perhaps the worst part of all this,is that this taxpayer funded federal propaganda scheme/conspiracy,goes on almost unnoticed by the public.The propaganda machine of the federal/corporate powers that exsists in the US,and elsewhere,makes the term; "evil empire",that was once used to describe the Soviet Union,,ridiculous! Our propaganda makes the Soviets attempts look quite crude,and phony "research",such as this,is an excellent example.........dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Frank on October 15, 2000 at 22:04:07 PT Tax Dollars are the Most addictive Drug Hey, this is a real scientific study? What a bunch of horsesh#$. Nobody believes this krap. The people who did this study are self administering Tax dollars the most addictive drug there is. They would die if this drug wasever withdrawn. The monkeys could get off pot in a weekend;however, these scientists" can never get off of Tax Dollars [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by i_rule_ on October 15, 2000 at 22:03:25 PT wow I never even imagined shooting up marijuana. I thought it was just a joke the old rednecks used to use on us by asking us if we were shootin up pot and smokin LSD. Even they thought it was funny. Now we have scientists that have invented a way to do it. Anything to prove that marijuana is addictive. Next, they'll be puttin the compound that prevents THC from binding to cannabinoid receptors in our water supply. I'm sure they have discussed this. I'm convinced they will do anything to defeat marijuana. If we suddenly can't get high on pot anymore, we'll know why. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Rainbow on October 15, 2000 at 21:43:57 PT Self admin of pan killers Wait my wife was able to self administer painkillers (opiates) after a C section (she is red headed) and she is not hooked on any drug except for the beers we have in the evening.EgadsRainbow [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on October 15, 2000 at 20:58:24 PT I'll Go One Step Further I believe if you could give a Cocaine addicted human being a pound of top quality Marijuana and give them a nice place with someone who cares and lots of vitamins and nutritious food that within a not very long time a person could get over their addiction to Cocaine. I don't know this for fact but I believe that with unlimited Marijuana and a good support system. Caring friends and family, not law or government people, things would work out ok for many. That's my 2 cents. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on October 15, 2000 at 20:51:16 PT: Cannabis Is Good Medicine! Thanks Dankhank, I believe that this study just proves that Cannabis can help a person that is withdrawing from Cocaine. Here we go again! Cannabis IS Good Medicine! Don't they see it? You want to say, Knock Knock is there anybody in there? [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by dankhank on October 15, 2000 at 20:37:37 PT: You got it ... Good point FOM ...I concur ... it is glaringly obvious ... for the trees ... [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on October 15, 2000 at 20:15:54 PT: They Were Addicted To Cocaine First This is what has jumped out at me. They made these monkeys cocaine addicts and they welcomed the THC IVs because it would make them feel better. That's what I think and how did they miss that?Before the study began, the scientists first established self-administration behavior in squirrel monkeys that received repeated intravenous injections of cocaine after pressing a lever 10 times for each injection. At the start of the study, the researchers replaced cocaine with saline solution and the animals' self-administration stopped. When saline was replaced with THC in a solution that would rapidly pass from blood to the brain, the animals resumed self-administration, rapidly pressing the lever to obtain on average 30 injections of THC during each of a series of 1-hour sessions. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by dankhank on October 15, 2000 at 20:03:15 PT: Oh, Yea ... >Animals will work to get food, water, laid, safety, love, territory, THC ... in short ... a lot of stuff ...The question should be ... will the animal work to the exclusion of other normally appealing and/or life sustaining stimuli such as ... food?I don't feel like that has been addressed yet in the info I have gotten. HEMP n STUFF [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by dankhank on October 15, 2000 at 19:56:13 PT: Injecting THC????? Can you imagine????????????????????Taking drug consumption to a new level ...The government in it's ineffible "wisdom" has developed a way to mainline THC. Will wonders never cease??Inquiring minds want to know more about this 'solution.'Hey NIDA, you stupid asses ... thanks ... :-) HEMP n STUFF [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by observer on October 15, 2000 at 19:37:23 PT THC ``solution that would rapidly'' Go To Brain? National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)I.e. a political agency with the express purpose of finding reasons to prop up drug (and especially cannabis) prohibition. No axe to grind, there. THC in a solution that would rapidly pass from blood to the brainAw shucks ... don't be shy now. Go ahead and tell us what this "solution that would rapidly pass from blood to the brain" is, exactly. Is this a recipe for injectable THC (something previously unknown to "marijuana addicts")? ...injections of THC ...Hey ... why'd NIDA hide this "little fact" in the middle of the sixth (and largest) paragraph, in an 8-paragraph P.R. release? Wanted to play down that "little detail" do you think? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: