‘Smoke Two Joints’ may be bad advice

  DAVE HILL/Daily Bruin Senior Staff A student lights up at
last year’s "420" festivities in front of Kerckhoff.

By Bimal Rajkomar
Daily Bruin Reporter

Some marijuana enthusiasts may be in the dark as to how those
“blunts” produce a high and other associated
effects.

Over the years, researchers have found that marijuana produces
both harmful and beneficial effects in the body.

“Tetrahydrocannabinol is one of 60 compounds in marijuana
smoke that have a similar chemical structure, called cannabinoids,
but it is responsible for the high,” said UCLA Professor of
Medicine Donald Tashkin.

After inhaling marijuana, the smoke is absorbed in the lungs,
where it fills up capillary beds. It is carried by the circulatory
system into the brain, where most of its effects occur, according
to psychology professor Carlos Grijalva.

A burning joint is made up of two components, the particulate
and the gas phases, both of which can be potentially harmful.

THC is concentrated in the particulate phase, or the tar, where
it is deposited in the lung or absorbed in the blood stream.

The gas phase is an irritant and contains cyanide and
formaldehyde.

“Despite common belief, marijuana is much more toxic than
cigarettes,” said Professor of Medicine Michael Roth.
“The toxic effects are probably cumulative, meaning the more
you are exposed, the more risk you face.”

But smoking one to two joints a day can do as much damage as
smoking one to two packs of cigarettes, Roth said.

Because marijuana joints have no filter and users inhale it so
deeply, much more of the carcinogens are deposited in the lung.

Marijuana is 10 to 20 times more potent than cigarettes in terms
of toxicity and carcinogenic properties, not including the
immunological effects unique to marijuana, Roth said.

But according to scientists, the human body produces
endo-cannabinoids, compounds similar to THC.

“We produce endo-cannabinoids called anandamides, which
are structurally different from THC, Tashkin said. “The name
comes from the Sanskrit word meaning
“˜bliss.'”

Tashkin said ways to increase levels of natural anandamides will
be a major area of research in the future.

Cannabinoids must bind to special proteins found on cell
membranes to function properly.

“Cannabinoids bind to specific receptors, CB1 receptors
located in the brain, and CB2 receptors located in other parts of
the body,” Roth said.

THC acts as a key as it attaches to receptors. The protein
changes shape when the compound binds, triggering a chain of
chemical events.

For example, if it binds in the basal ganglia, a part of the
brain, it could affect movement and coordination, Tashkin said.

The receptors are most highly concentrated in parts of the brain
that process memory, regulate emotions and coordinate movement.

“(THC) has its major effects on the central nervous system
and acts as a mild sedative, resulting in a sense of tranquility
and euphoria for individuals used to it,” Tashkin said.

But those who are not used to its effects often experience
anxiety or panic, he said.

Scientists at UCLA are making advances to further explore the
negative aspects of the compound. According to researchers, THC can
also bind to CB2 receptors on white blood cells leading to
malfunctions in the body’s defense system.

Mice vaccinated for certain diseases have been shown to lose
their immunity to illnesses while they are on THC, and similar
effects have been with human cell cultures.

“These cells are not able to fight off infections,”
Roth said. “Specifically, marijuana smokers are at an
increased risk for infection.”

HOW MARIJUANA WORKS The active chemical in
marijuana,THC, binds to specific receptors in the brain called CBI
and affects the brain in various ways. SOURCE: New Scientist
magazine Original graphic by JOAN ONG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Web
adaptation by REX LORENZO