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Updated: Jun 29, 2026
07:51
Administration of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Adolescent and Adult Mice
Published on: August 1, 2025
[Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol pharmacokinetics].
J-P Goullé1, E Saussereau, C Lacroix
1Laboratoire de pharmacocinétique et de toxicologie cliniques, groupe hospitalier du Havre, BP 24, 76083 Le Havre cedex, France. jgoulle@ch-havre.fr
Annales Pharmaceutiques Francaises
|October 14, 2008
Summary
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9-THC) pharmacokinetics vary significantly due to smoking. THC is rapidly absorbed, distributed to tissues, and stored in fat, impacting its clinical effects and detection.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Cannabinoid Science
Context:
- Cannabis use, primarily through smoking, is common.
- Increasing Delta-9-THC content in cannabis products complicates dosage.
- Understanding THC pharmacokinetics is crucial for interpreting drug effects and detection.
Purpose:
- To review the pharmacokinetics of Delta-9-THC following inhalation.
- To explain the variability in THC absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
- To correlate pharmacokinetic properties with observed clinical effects and detection methods.
Summary:
- Delta-9-THC bioavailability averages 30% after smoking, with peak plasma levels around 160 ng/mL within 10 minutes.
- THC distributes widely into tissues, with body fat acting as a long-term reservoir.
- Active metabolites are formed, and elimination occurs over weeks via feces and urine, with THC-COOH analysis useful for abstinence confirmation.
Impact:
- Explains the lack of correlation between blood THC levels and clinical effects, unlike ethanol.
- Highlights the utility of urine THC-COOH testing for confirming recent cannabis use.
- Provides a basis for interpreting drug testing results and understanding individual responses to cannabis.
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