Journal Article

Cannabinoid disposition in oral fluid after controlled vaporizer administration with and without alcohol

Jang, Moonhee, Anizan, Sébastien, Hartman, Rebecca L., Spurgin, Andrew, Yun, Keming, Brown, Timothy L., Milavetz, Gary, Gorelick, David A., Gaffney, Gary, Huestis, Marilyn A.

2015

Overview

Oral fluid (OF) is an advantageous matrix for cannabis detection, with on-site tests available for roadside drug-impaired driver screening. Limited data exist for device performance following consumption of vaporized cannabis, which reduces exposure to harmful combustion by-products. We assessed cannabinoid OF disposition, with and without alcohol, and evaluated on-site Dräger ® DrugTest 5000 performance (Dräger) following controlled vaporization of cannabis. Forty-three cannabis smokers (≥1×/3 months, ≤3 days/week) reported 10–16 h prior to dosing, and drank placebo or low-dose alcohol [target ~0.065 % peak breath-alcohol concentration (BrAC)] 10 min prior to inhaling 500 mg of placebo, low-dose [2.9 % ∆ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)], or high-dose (6.7 % THC) vaporized cannabis (within-subjects; six possible alcohol–cannabis combinations; 19 completers). BrAC readings and OF (Quantisal™, Dräger) were collected before and up to 8.3 h post-dose. Median [range] maximum OF concentrations ( C max ) for low and high doses (no alcohol, N  = 19) were 848 [32.1–18,230] and 764 [25.1–23,680] µg/l THC; 6.0 [0–100] and 26.8 [1.0–1106] µg/l cannabidiol; 54.4 [1.8–941] and 29.7 [0–766] µg/l cannabinol; and 24.1 [0–686] and 18.0 [0–414] ng/l 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH). Lack of significant differences in THC concentration between low doses and high doses indicated that participants may have titrated doses. THC, cannabidiol and cannabinol C max values were immediately post-inhalation, but metabolite THCCOOH t max showed interindividual variability. Concurrent alcohol did not affect OF cannabinoid concentrations or on-site test sensitivity. With a THC confirmation cutoff of 5 µg/l, Dräger sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency were 60.8, 98.2, and 82.5 %. Dräger had lower sensitivity after 6.7 % THC vaporization (53.8 %, THC ≥2 µg/l confirmation cutoff) than reported following smoking a 6.8 % THC cigarette, but high specificity (99.3 %) and comparable efficiency (65.0 %). Vaporized THC bioavailability may be lower than that when smoked. Confirmation cutoff, time course, intake histories, and additional cannabinoid analytes also affect OF interpretation.

• Publisher: Springer Japan,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Alcohol / Blood & organ donations / Breath tests / Cannabidiol / Clinical significance / Decriminalization / Drug dosages / Drug-impaired driving / Forensic Medicine / Forensic Science / Marijuana / Medical Law / Medicinal Chemistry / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Original Article / Pharmacology/Toxicology / Smoking / Tetrahydrocannabinol / THC / Variance analysis