Mutagenic activity of marihuana smoke condensates

Smoke condensates prepared from marihuana cigaretts were mutagenic in strain TA98 of the Ames Salmonella/microsome test, a short-term bioassay which estimates the mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of some chemicals. The mutagens in marihuana smoke condensates required liver enzymes to be activated. The specific mutagenic activity of marihuana smoke condensates were similar to that of tobacco smoke condensates prepared from American cigarettes. Fractionation studies of the marihuana smoke condensates showed that basic components accounted for 76% of the recovered mutagenic activity.