Effects of marihuana-dextroamphetamine combination

Abstract

Under a double blind, randomized, complete block design, subjects were given either placebo and 10 mg/70 kg dextroamphetamine sulfate (A) orally followed 1 1/2 hr later by a marihuana cigarette (M) prepared to deliver 50 mug/kg delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Statistical analyses suggested that heart rate and blood pressure increased in an additive manner when both drugs were given. Electrocardiogram changes, when present, were nonspecific in character and appeared to be associated with marihuana. In a second study, psychomotor performance was evaluated by a similar design using doses of 10 mg/70 kg of A and M prepared to deliver 25 mug/kg THC. Impairment was related to smoking of M, and no difference could be distinguished between M alone and M-A combination. Subjective evaluation, as measured by the modified Cornell Medical Index (CMI) demonstrated only additive effects for the combination.