Cannabis Sativa

An aromatic annual plant with origins in central Asia. The plant is known to contain 61 cannabinoids, including delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC) and cannabidiol.

Other names: marijuana, hashish, hash, sinsemilla, pot, grass.

Use

No federally recognized medical use (schedule I, Controlled Substances Act)

Self-administered for its mood-altering properties " ”stimulant/depressant at low doses; CNS depressant at high doses

Limitations

Screening assays are commonly immunoassay based.

ELISA for blood, serum, plasma

Target analyte: delta-9-THC

Cutoff concentration " “variable 2 " “5 ng/mL

May exhibit significant cross-reactivity with 11-hydroxy-THC, carboxy-THC [THC-COOH]

Low cross-reactivity with cannabidiol, cannabinol, delta-8-THC

EIA for urine

Target analyte: THC-COOH (metabolite)

Cutoff concentration: 20 ng/mL, 50 ng/mL

Approximately 50% cross-reactivity with cannabinol, 11-OH-THC

Confirmation assays are commonly chromatography based regardless of specimen

Highly glucuronidated " “hydrolysis recommended for analysis of urine

Urine confirmation assays typically target only THC-COOH; limit of detection/quantitation is 5 " “15 ng/mL

GC/MS: selected ion -monitoring mode for quantitative analysis of serum, plasma for THC, 11-OH-THC, THC-COOH; limits of quantitation: 1 " “5 ng/mL.

LC/MSn (multiple MS).

Multiple reaction " “monitoring mode for qualitative or quantitative analysis of THC, 11-OH-THC, THC-COOH