TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - The Standard Joint Unit
JO  - Drug and alcohol dependence
A1  - Casajuana Kögel, Cristina
A1  - Balcells-Olivero, María Mercedes
A1  - López-Pelayo, Hugo
A1  - Miquel, Laia
A1  - Teixidó, Lidia
A1  - Colom, Joan
A1  - Nutt, David John
A1  - Rehm, Jürgen
A1  - Gual, Antoni
SP  - 109
EP  - 116
VL  - 176
IS  - 
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Reliable data on cannabis quantities is required to improve assessment of cannabis consumption for epidemiological analysis and clinical assessment, consequently a Standard Joint Unit (SJU) based on quantity of 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (9-THC) has been established. <br><br>METHODOLOGY: Naturalistic study of a convenience sample recruited from February 2015-June 2016 in universities, leisure spaces, mental health services and cannabis clubs in Barcelona. Adults, reporting cannabis use in the last 60 days, without cognitive impairment or language barriers, answered a questionnaire on cannabis use and were asked to donate a joint to further determine their 9-THC and Cannabidiol (CBD) content. <br><br>RESULTS: 492 participants donated 315 valid joints. Donators were on average 29 years old, mostly men (77%), single (75%), with at least secondary studies (73%) and in active employment (63%). Marijuana joints (N=232) contained a median of 6.56mg of 9-THC (Interquartile range-IQR=10,22) and 0.02mg of CBD (IQR=0.02); hashish joints (N=83) a median of 7.94mg of 9-THC (IQR=10,61) and 3.24mg of CBD (IQR=3.21). Participants rolled 4 joints per gram of cannabis and paid 5€ per gram (median values). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Consistent 9-THC-content in joints lead to a SJU of 7mg of 9-THC, the integer number closest to the median values shared by both cannabis types. Independently if marijuana or hashish, 1 SJU = 1 joint = 0.25 g of cannabis = 7 mg of 9-THC. For CBD, only hashish SJU contained relevant levels. Similarly to the Standard Drink Unit for alcohol, the SJU is useful for clinical, epidemiological and research purposes.<br><br>Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0376-8716
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.03.010
ID  - ref1
ER  -