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Discriminative response control produced with hashish, tetrahydrocannabinols (δ8-THC and δ9-THC), and other drugs

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Abstract

In a series of experiments the discriminative properties of hashish and its derivatives and other, noncannabinoid drugs have been examined. To determine the specificity of the drug induced response control a variety of psychotropic drugs were tested for their possible generalization to the training drugs. It is concluded that tetrahydrocannabinols (δ 8-THC and δ 9-THC) are interchangeable with respect to cue function and that hashish, inhaled as smoke, produces cue effects similar to synthetic THC in rats. Neither cannabidiol nor cannabinol evidenced transfer to hashish or its derivatives. Lack of generalization to THC was also apparent for CNS depressants, anticholinergics, tacrine, sernylan, psilocybine, morphine, CNS stimulants, yohimbine, and phenitrone. Some of these drugs as well as levallorphan tartrate were tested for antagonistic effects but found ineffective in preventing the THC discrimination.

Except for atropine (150.0 mg/kg), the transfer testings for the non-cannabinoid drugs yielded results that were anticipated from previous literature. For example, chlordiazepoxide showed transfer to diazepam. Results from transfer testings in rats required to differentiate one drug state from another drug induced state, gave additional support to the previous conclusions.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Uppsala, Sweden

    Torbjörn U. C. JÄrbe & Bengt G. Henriksson

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  1. Torbjörn U. C. JÄrbe
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  2. Bengt G. Henriksson
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JÄrbe, T.U.C., Henriksson, B.G. Discriminative response control produced with hashish, tetrahydrocannabinols (δ8-THC and δ9-THC), and other drugs. Psychopharmacologia 40, 1–16 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00429443

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